The story of the Persian war

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THE
STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

PREFACE.

I FOUND that " The Story of the Persian War,"
if it was to be fully told, would require all the
space at my command. I have not, therefore,
gone beyond this subject, and have given to this
book the title which best describes its contents.
There are yet " Stories of the West " to be
found in Herodotus, which I may have, I hope,
an opportunity of giving to the public.

The illustrations of this volume are taken
from various sculptures and vases. The artist
has sought to reproduce in them the colouring
of a certain small class of Greek pottery,
examples of which may be seen in the British

Museum.

ALFRED CHURCH.

Hadley Green,

Oct. 21, 1881.

aininziic!P[3^:ji;3T34Xu^^

THE ORACLE.

HAHnAf>r.u-rtt .

THE STORY
OF THE PERSIAN WAR

FROM HERODOTUS

REV. ALFRED J! CHURCH, M.A.

Professor of Laiin in University College, London

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE ANTIQUE

NEW YORK :
SCRIBNER AND WELFORD

MDCCCI.XXXII.
All S.'ghts reservei

CONTENTS.

CHAP. I'AGE

I. OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS I

IL OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS 1 4

in. OF THE FIRST WAR AGAINST GREECE ... 34

IV. OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON ... 45
V. OF THE SONS OF ALCM^ON AND THE END

OF MILTIADES ... ... ... ... 59

VI. HOW PREPARATION WAS MADE FOR THE

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS ... 70

VII. OF THE SETTING FORTH OF XERXES ... 89

VIIL OF THE MAkCH OF XERXES lOO

IX. HOW XERXES CROSSED OVER INTO EUROPE

AND OF HIS ARMY II3

X. OF THE MARCH OF XERXES 126

XL OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS ... 138
XII. OF THE ARMY AND THE SHIPS OF XERXES,
AND OF THE FIRST FIGHTING WITH THE

GREEKS 153

vi CONTENTS.

CHAP.

XIII. OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^

XIV. OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^ {cOUt^)
XV. OF THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS AT ARTE-

MISIUM
XVI. OF THE DEPARTURE OF THE GREEKS FROM
ARTEMISIUiM AND OF THE ADVANCE OF

XERXES

XVn. OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS AND OF THE
CITY OF ATHENS

XVIII. OF THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS

XIX. OF THE FLIGHT OF XERXES

XX. OF THE PREPARING OF THE PERSIANS AND

OF THE GREEKS FOR THE WAR

XXI. OF THE BATTLE OF PLAT^'A

XXII. OF THE BATTLE AT MYCALE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

THE ORACLE ... ... ... ... Frontispiece.

THE FESTIVAL OF ATHENE: HORSEMEN ... ... I4

THE FESTIVAL OF ATHENE: BRANCH-BEARERS 1 6

WOMEN KEEPING FESTIVAL... ... ... ... 30

THE CH.-VRIOT RACE ... ... ... ... 42

FLUTE PLAYER AND DANCERS ... ... ... 48

MARATHON 54

THE RACE IN ARMOUR 60

a*

THE BANQUETING TABLE 62

THE COUNCIL 7^

THE CHARIOT 104

OFFERINGS I28

THE HORSE RACE 15^

A TORCH DANCE 254

THE SACRIFICE

266

PLAT^A 270

TO
ALEXANDER MACMILLAN,

^W 25oofe

IS DEDICATED.

THE STORY
OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER I.

OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS,

King Darius gave Myrcinus that is on the
river Strymon, in the land of Thrace, to His-
tiseus, lord of Miletus, for a reward ; for
Histiaeus had done him good service in his
warfare against the Scythians. But when the
man began to build a wall about the place, one
said to the King, " O King, what is this that
thou hast done, giving this city in Thrace to a
man that is a Greek, and wise moreover and
crafty ? For in that country is great store of
timber for ship-building, and mines also of silver,
and there are manv inhabitants, both Greeks and
barbarians, who will take this fellow for a leader,

2 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

and will do what he shall bid them, working day
and night. Do thou therefore stay him in
this work ; but stay him with soft words. Bid
him come to thee, and when he is come, take
good care that he never go among the Greeks
any more." This counsel seemed good to the
King. Wherefore he sent a messenger to
Histiseus, saying, " Thus saith the King, I
am persuaded that there is no man better dis-
posed to me and to my kingdom than thou.
Come therefore to me, for I have great matters
in hand, and would fain ask thy counsel about
them." So Histisus, taking these words to be
true, and counting it a great thing to be the
King's counsellor, came to Sardis to Darius.
And when he was come, Darius said to him,
" Hear now the cause wherefore I have sent for
thee. Since the day that thou didst depart from
me I have desired nothing so much as to see
thee and talk with thee ; for in my judgment
there is nothing so precious as a friend that is
both faithful and wise ; and this I know thee
to be. Leave now thy city of Miletus, and
that also which thou art building in Thrace and
come with me to Susa, for all that I have is

OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS.

thine, and thou shalt live with me, and be my
counsellor."

After this the King went up to Susa,' taking
Histiaeus with him. And he left Otanes to be
captain of them that dwell by the sea. This
Otanes was the son of a certain Sisamnes whom,
being one of the royal judges, and having
given unrighteous judgment for money, King
Cambyses slew ; and having slain him, he flayed
off his skin, and cutting it into strips stretched
them on the judgment-seat. And making the
son of Sisamnes to be judge in his father's
room, he bade him remember on what manner
of seat he sat.

In these days Miletus was the most prosperous
of all the cities of Ionia, though it had been
brought very low in the second generation
before by strife among its citizens. This strife
was healed after this fashion by the Parians,
whom the men of Miletus chose out of all the
Greeks to be judges in their case. These Parians
went through the land of Miletus, and whereso-
ever they saw in the country, which was for the
most part desolate, any field well tilled, they
wrote down the name of the master of the field,

THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

And when they had traversed the whole, and
found not many such, so soon as they were come
back to the city, they called an assembly, and
made this award, that the men whose fields they
had seen to be well tilled should bear rule, for
they judged that such as managed well their
own affairs would manage well the affairs of the
State also. But now from this city of Miletus,
and from the island of Naxos, which was the
richest of all the islands, there came great
damage to the men of Ionia. It happened on
this wise. Certain of the rich men of Naxos,
being banished by the commons, fled to Miletus,
of which city one Aristagoras was lord in those
days, being son-in law to Histiaeus. And when'
the exiles prayed him for help that they might
come back to their own country, Aristagoras,
thinking that if they should come back by his
help, he should be lord of Naxos, said to them
(and he had this pretext for helping them that
they had been long time friends of his father-
in-law), " I cannot bring you back to Naxos
against the will of the city, for I hear that they
have eight thousand men at arms, and many
ships of war. But I have a friendship with

OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS.

Otanes, that is brother to King Darius, and
captain of them that dwell by the sea, and has
many soldiers and ships. I will work with him
that he shall do what ye wish." To this the
exiles agreed, saying that they would find pay
for the army. Then went Aristagoras to Otanes,
and said to him, " There is a certain island of
Naxos, not very great, but a good land and fair,
and near to Ionia, and having in it much wealth
and many slaves. If thou wilt make war upon
this island, bringing back to it certain men that
have been banished, thou shalt receive much
wealth from me, over and above the cost of the
war, for this it is just that we who desire it
should pay ; also thou wilt win for the King
Naxos and the islands that are subject to it, and
from thence thou wilt be able to make war on
Euboea, a great island and a rich, being not less
than Cyprus, and easy to be subdued. For all
this a hundred ships will be sufficient." To
this Otanes made answer, " Truly thou bringest
a matter that may advantage the house of the
King, and thy counsel is good, save as to the
number of the ships. There shall be ready not
one hundred but two hundred in the spring

6 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

season. Only the King must approve of the
undertaking." And when he had sent to the
King and had his assent, he made ready two
hundred ships of war, putting on them a great
multitude of Persians and allies, and setting
Megabates, that was nephew to him and to' the
King, to command them. (It was the daughter
of this Megabates that Pausanias the Spartan
would have taken to wife, if indeed the story be
true, when he sought to make himself lord of
Greece.) Megabates took with him Arista-
goras, and many soldiers from Miletus, and the
exiles, and sailed towards the Hellespont. But
when he came to Chios he cast anchor, waiting
for a north wind that he might sail to Naxos.
And here — for it was not to be that Naxos should
perish at this time— there befell this thing.

As Megabates went about visiting the watches
of the fleet, he found a ship of Myndus in Caria
that had no watch set. Being very wroth at
this, he bade his guards find the captain of the
ship (the man's name was Scylax) and bind him
in one of the tholes of the oars, so that his head
should be without the ship and his body within.
When the man had been so bound, there came

OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS.

one to Aristagoras saying that Megabates had
bound Scylax of Myndus in a shameful fashion.
Then Aristagoras entreated of Megabates that
he would loose him ; but, as he could not
prevail, he loosed the man himself. When
Megabates heard it he was very wroth with
Aristagoras, who said to him, " What hast thou
to do with these things ? Wast thou not sent
to do my pleasure, and to sail whithersoever I
should bid thee ? Meddle not then with other
men's matters." Then Megabates, in his anger,
sent a messenger to the Naxlans, so soon as
it was night, telling them what was preparing
against them. Now these had not thought of
any such thing ; but when they heard it, forth-
with they carried their goods from out of the
fields into the city, and prepared themselves for
a siege, making provision of food and drink.
When therefore the Persians were come from
Chios, they found the city of the Naxians de-
fended against them ; and having besieged it to
no purpose for four months, when now all the
money they had brought with them was spent,
and much also that Aristagoras had furnished,
they departed, having first built forts for the

8 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

exiles. Then Aristagoras was in a great strait,
for he could not fulfil the promise that he had
made to the servants of the King, neither could
he pay the money that had been spent upon
the war, and he feared lest, falling into ill-
favour with the Persians, being already at
enmity with Megabates, he should lose the
lordship of Miletus. For these causes he had
it in his mind to revolt from the King. And
while he thought thereon there came to him the
man with the branded head from Histiseus at
Susa, with a message that he should do this
very thing. For Histiseus, seeking to send
word to Aristagoras, yet not being able to send
it safely, because the roads were guarded, de-
vised this thing. He took the most faithful of
his slaves and, shaving the man's head, branded
on it certain letters. And when the hair was
grown again he sent him to Aristagoras with
a message, " Look on this man's head when
thou hast shaven it." Now the marks signified
that he should revolt. And this Histiseus did
counting it a grievous thing that he was con-
strained to tarry at Susa ; for he said to himself
"If there be rebellion at Miletus, doubtless I

OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS.

shall be sent down to the sea ; but if not, I
shall go there no more." Then Arlstagoras
took counsel with his fellows, declaring to them
his own judgment and the message that had
come to him from Susa. ' To them spake
Hecatseus, the writer of chronicles. First he
counselled them not to make war against the
King, telling them of all the nations that he
ruled and of his might. And when he could
not persuade them, he said that they should
certainly make themselves masters of the sea,
and that this they could do only by laying
hands on the treasures that had been given by
Croesus the Lydian to the temple of Apollo at
Branchidae, for these were very great, " since I
have good hope," said he, " that by help of these
ye may have the upper hand at sea ; anyhow, ye
will have the using of them, and they will not
be a spoil to the enemy." But neither in this
could he prevail. Nevertheless they made ready
to revolt. And first of all they sent and laid
hands by guile on the captains of the ships that
had sailed against Naxos. Such of these men
as were lords of their cities Aristagoras gave
into the hands of their citizens to do with them

lo THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

as they would. And he gave up his own lord-
ship at Miletus. Thus lordship ceased out of
all the cities of Ionia.

After this Aristagoras sailed to Sparta, for he
had need to make alliance with some city that
could help him. Now Cleomenes was King
at Sparta in those days ; to him therefore
Aristagoras opened the matter, saying, " Marvel
not, Cleomenes, that I have been at the pains
to come hither. That we men of Ionia should
be slaves and not free is a shame and grief,
first indeed to us, but next to you more than all
others, seeing that ye have the pre-eminence
in Greece. Do ye therefore deliver us from
slavery, seeing that we are of the same blood
with you. And this ye can easily do, for these
barbarians have but small courage, in which ye,
I know, excel. Their manner of fighting is
this. They have bows and short spears, and
for clothing they have loose tunics and turbans
on their heads. Think then how easily ye can
subdue them." After this Aristagoras showed
to the King the divers nations and countries
that were obedient to the Persians, for he had
a tablet of brass on which was engraven the

OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS.

whole compass of the world, with the sea and
all the rivers. And he set forth to him in what
things each was excellent, till he came at the
last to the city of Susa. " Here," he said, " is
the fiver Choaspes with the great city of Susa,
where the King has his palace. Here also
are his treasures, on which if ye can lay your
hands ye may without fear compare your-
selves for riches to Zeus himself. What profit
is there to fight, and that many times, for a few
furlongs of barren land, with Messenians, men
that are your match, or with Arcadians or
Argives that have not gold or silver or any such
thing, for the getting of which a man might
willingly go in peril of his life, and this when
ye might be lords of all Asia ? " Then said
Gleomenes, " Man of Miletus, I will give thee
an answer in this matter on the third day."
And on the third, when they came together as
had been appointed, the King said, " Tell me,
Aristagoras, of how many days is the journey
from the sea to this city of Susa } " Now in
everything else Aristagoras had answered him
craftily; but in this he was taken unawares. For
if he would have had the Spartans come to

12 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN IV A R.

Asia, he should not have told the truth ; but
this he did tell, for he said, " It is a journey of
three months." But when the King heard this,
he would not suffer Aristagoras to say what he
would have told about the journey, but cried,
"Man of Miletus, depart from Sparta before,
the setting of the sun ; for thou hast nothing to
say that can profit the Spartans if thou wouldst
take them a journey of three months from the
sea." When he had said this, the King de-
parted to his house. Then Aristagoras, taking
the garb of a suppliant, went to him and be-
sought him, as he had regard to a sufSpliant, to
listen to him. " But first," he said, "send away
the child ;" for there stood by the King his little
daughter, whose name was Gorgo. This Gorgo
was his only child, being now of eight or nine
years. But Cleomenes bade him say what he
would, and stay not for the child. Then Aris-
tagoras began with ten talents, promising that
he would give him so much if he would help
him to that which he desired. And when Cleo-
menes would not, he promised yet more, till
he came to fifty talents. Then the child spake,
" Father, this stranger will corrupt thee unless

OF THE REVOLT OF MILETUS. 13

thou rise up and depart." This counsel of the
child greatly pleased Cleomenes, so that he
rose up from his place and went into another
chamber. After this Aristagoras departed from
Sparta, and came to Athens, knowing that this
city held the next place for power.

14 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER II.

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS.

The city of Athens had greatly increased in
might since it was rid of its lords. The
manner of the riddance was this. For a while
after Hipparchus had been slain — this Hippar-
chus, with Hippias his brother, had received
the lordship from Pisistratus his father, and he
had been slain at the festival of Athene — the
tyranny was more grievous than before. Now
there was in Athens a great house, the sons
of Alcmseon, and these had been banished by
the children of Pisistratus. At the first indeed,
joining with others who were in like case, they
sought to obtain their return by force, building
a fort on Mount Parnes, whence they might
attack the city ; but they accomplished nothing.
Then they devised this device. They made a
covenant with the council of the Amphictyons
that they would build the temple of Apollo

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 15

that is in Delphi for a certain sum of money.
But in the building they made all things fairer
than according to the letter of the covenant —
and this they could do by reason of their great
wealth — and especially, when it had been
agreed that they should use common stone in
the building of the temple, they used for the
front thereof marble of Paros. After this they
persuaded the Pythia with a sum of money
that whenever any men from Sparta came to
ask. counsel of the oracle, whether they came
on their own affairs or the affairs of the State,
she should bid them set free the city of Athens.
When this message had come to the Lacedae-
monians many times, they sent one of their
qhief citizens with an army to drive out the
children of Pisistratus from Athens. And this
they did, though the men were dear friends to
them, for they judged it well to prefer the
bidding of the Gods to the friendship of men.
This army came by sea and landed at Phalerus.
And when the sons of Pisistratus heard" of it,
they sent for help to Thessaly, with which
country they had alliance, and there came to
them from Thessalv a thousand horsenien.

OF THE TAKWG OF MILETUS. 17

depart out of the country within the space of
five days. And this they did, their house
having had the lordship for thirty years and six.
Thus was Athens rid of its lords.

Aristagoras then coming to this city of
Athens presented himself before the people,
and said the same words that he had said before
in Sparta, about the good things in Asia, and
about the manner of fighting of the Persians,
how they had neither spear nor shield, and were
therefore easily to be conquered. Also he said
that the Milesians were colonists from Athens,
and that it was just that the Athenians, being
so mighty, should deliver them from slavery.
And because his need was great, there was
nothing that he did not promise, till at the last-
he persuaded them. For it is easier, it seems, to
deceive a multitude than to deceive one m.an.
Cleomenes the Spartan, being but one man,
Aristagoras could not deceive ; but he brought
over to his purpose the people of Athens, being
thirty thousand. So the Athenians, being per-
suaded, made a decree to send twenty ships
to help the men of Ionia, and appointed one
Melanthius, a man of reputation among them,^

l8 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

to be captain. These ships were the begin-
ning of trouble both to the Greeks and the
barbarians.

After this Aristagoras sailed to Miletus ; and
so soon as he was gone there he did a thing
which could be of no profit to the men of Ionia,
but vexed King Darius. He sent a messenger
to the Pseonians, whom Megabazus had carried
away captive from the river Strymon and set
down in Phrygia, saying, " Thus saith Arista-
goras, lord of Miletus, If ye will obey him, ye
shall have deliverance. All Ionia hath rebelled
against the King. Now therefore ye can
depart in safety to your own land. How ye
shall get to the sea ye must order for your-
selves ; but when ye are come thither, we will
see to the matter." The Pseonians heard this
with great gladness ; and taking with them
their wives and their children, they fled to the
sea. Yet some of them were afraid and re-
mained behind. And when they had come to
the sea, they crossed over to Chios. And
when they were already in Chios there came
a multitude of the horsemen of the Persians,
pursuing them, who, as they had not been able

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 19

to overtake them, sent messengers to them
in Chios, bidding them return to the land
of Phrygia. But the Pjeonians would not
hearken to them. And the people of Chios
carried them thence to Lesbos, and the Les-
bians carried them to Dorlscus ; and from
Doriscus they returned on foot to their own
land of Paeonia.

When the twenty ships of the Athenians
were arrived, and with them five ships of the
Eretrians, which came, not for any love of the
Athenians, but because the Milesians had
helped them in old time against the men of
Chalcis, Aristagoras sent an army against
Sardis, but he himself abode in Miletus. This
army, crossing Mount Tmolus, took the city of
Sardis without any hindrance ; but the citadel
they took not, for Artaphernes held it with a
great force of soldiers. But though they took
the city they had not the plunder of it, and for
this reason. The houses in Sardis were for the
most part built of reeds, and such as were built
of brigks had their roofs of reeds ; and when a
certain soldier set fire to one of these houses,
the fire ran quickly from house to house till the

20 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

whole city was consumed. And while the city
was burning, such Lydians and Persians as were
in it, seeing that they were cut off from escape
(for the fire was in all the outskirts of the city),
gathered together in haste to the market-place.
Through this market-place flows the river Pac-
tolus, which comes down from Mount Tmolus,
having gold in its sands, and when it has passed
out of the city it flows into the Hermus, which
flows into the sea. Here then the Lydians
and Persians were gathered together, being
constrained to defend themselves. And when
the men of Ionia saw their enemies how many
they were, and that these were preparing to
give battle, they were stricken with fear, and
fled out of the city to Mount Tmolus, and
thence, when it was night, they went back to
the sea. In this manner was burnt the city of
Sardis, and in it the great temple of the goddess
Cybele, the burning of which temple was the
cause, as said the Persians, for which afterwards
they burnt the temples in Greece. Not lono-
after came a host of Persians from beyond the
river Halys ; and when they found that the men
of Ionia had departed from Sardis, they followed

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 21

hard upon their track, and came up with them
at Ephesus. And when the battle was joined,
the men of Ionia fled before them. Many
indeed were slain, and such as escaped were
scattered, every man to his own city./

After this the ships of the Athenians departed,
and would not help the men of Ionia any more,
though Aristagoras besought them to stay.
Nevertheless the lonians ceased not from
making preparations of war against the King,
making to themselves allies, some by force and
some by persuasion, as the cities of the Helles-
pont and many of the Carians and the island of
Cyprus. For all Cyprus, save Amathus only,
revolted from the King under Onesilus, brother
of King Gorgus.

When King Darius heard that Sardis had
been taken and burned with fire by the lonians
and the Athenians, with Aristagoras for leader,
at the first he took no heed of the lonians,
as knowing that they would surely suffer for
their deed, but he asked, " Who are these
Athenians ? " And when they told him he took
a bow and shot an arrow into the air, saying,
" O Zeus, grant that I may avenge myself on

THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

these Athenians." And he commanded his
servant that every day, when his dinner was
served, he should say three times, " Master,
remember the Athenians." After this he called
for Histisus of Miletus, and said to him, " His-
tiaeus, I hear that thy deputy to whom thou
gavest over Miletus has rebelled, and has
brought men from over the sea to help him, •
and, taking with him also certain of the lonians
(who verily shall suffer for their wrong-doing),
has taken from me the city of Sardis. How
can this have been done without thy counsel ?
Take heed lest the blame fall on thee." Then
answered Histieeus, " What is this that thou
hast said, that I should devise any evil against
thee ? For what do I lack being here with
thee ? If my deputy has done such things, he
has done them of his own counsel. Yet do I
scarce believe that he has done them. But if
so, see what a thing thou hast done in taking
me away from the coast country. Surely had
I been yet there, no city had been troubled.
But now send me as speedily as may be to the
land of the lonians, that I may set all things in
order as they were aforetime, and also deliver

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 23

up this deputy, if he has so done, into thy
hands. Verily, I swear by thy -Gods, O King,
that I will not put off the tunic which I shall
wear on the day when I go down to the land of
the lonians, before I make the great island of
Sardinia tributary to thee." So Darius let him
go, commanding him when he had accomplished
these things to come back to him at Susa.

Meanwhile the Persians took not a few cities
of the lonians and Cohans. But while they
were busy about these, the Carians revolted
from the King ; whereupon the captains of the
Persians led their army into Caria, and the men
of Caria came out to meet them ; and they me^
them at a certain place which is called the
White Pillars, near to the river Maeander.
Then there were many counsels among the
Carians, whereof the best was this, that they
should cross the river and so contend with the
Persians, having the river behind them, that so
there being no escape for them if they fled, they
might surpass themselves in courage. But this
counsel did not prevail. Nevertheless, when
the Persians had crossed the Maeander, the
Carians fought against them, and the battle was

24 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN irAR.

exceeding- long- and fierce. But at the last the
Carians were vanquished, being overborne by
numbers, so that there fell of them ten thou-
sand. And when they that escaped — for many
had fled to Labranda, where there is a great
temple of Zeus and a grove of plane trees —
were doubting whether they should yield them-
selves to the King or depart altogether from
Asia, there came to their help the men of Mile-
tus with their allies. Thereupon the Carians,
putting away their doubts altogether, fought
with the Persians a second time, and were van-
quished yet more grievously than before. But
on this day the men of Miletus suffered the
chief damage. And the Carians fought with
the Persians yet again a third time ; for, hear-
ing that these were about to attack their cities
one by one, they laid an ambush for them on
the road to Pedasus. And the Persians, march-
ing by night, fell into the ambush, and were
utterly destroyed, they and their captains.

After these things, Aristagoras, seeing the
power of the Persians, and having no more any
hope to prevail over them — and indeed, for all
that he had brought about so much trouble, he

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 25

was of a poor spirit — called together his friends
and said to them, " We must needs have some
place of refuge, if we be driven out of Miletus.
Shall we therefore go to Sardinia, or to Myrci-
nus on the river Strymon, which King Darius
gave to Histiseus ? "

To this Hecateus, the writer of chronicles,
made answer, " Let Aristagoras build a fort in
Leros (this Leros is an island thirty miles dis-
tant from Miletus) and dwell there quietly, if
he be driven from Miletus. And hereafter he
can come from Leros and set himself up again
in Miletus."

But Aristagoras went to Myrcinus, and not
long afterwards was slain while he besieged a
certain city of the Thracians.

And now Histiaeus came down from Susa to
Sardis. When he was come to Sardis, Arta-
phernes the governor enquired of him the cause
why the lonians had rebelled, and when His-
tiaeus said that he could not tell, Artaphernes
said, for indeed he knew the whole matter,
" The matter stands thus, Histiaeus. Thou
hast stitched the shoe and Aristagoras has put
it on." When Histiaeus heard this, and per-

26 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

ceived that the thing was known, he fled to the
coast. And first he went to Chios, where the
people cast him into prison, but finding that he
had rebelled against the King set him at liberty;
and from Chios he went to Miletus ; but the
men of Miletus, being rid of one lord, even
Aristagoras, were not minded to take to them-
selves another, and when he sought to make an
entrance by night, they fought against him and
wounded him in the thigh. After this, having
got ships from the Lesbians, he laid wait at the
Hellespont and seized all the ships that came
forth from the Black Sea unless they would
take service with him.

Now the Persians had gathered together a
great host and a fleet also against Miletus ; and
the men of Miletus sent deputies to the Great
Ionian Council. And the council resolved
that they would not send an army to fight
against the Persians, but that the cities should
send all their ships, not leaving one behind, and
that they should be assembled at Lade, which
is an island near Miletus. So all the lonians
sent their ships, a hundred coming from Chios,
and eighty from Miletus, and sixty from Lesbos.

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 27

The number of the whole was three hundred
and fifty and three. But the number of the
ships of the barbarians was six hundred.

First the Persian captains sent for the lords
of the Ionian cities whom Aristagoras had
driven oiit, and said to them, " Now can ye do
good service to the house of the King. Let
each seek to draw away his own countrymen
from the alliance of the lonians ; and let him
tell them that they shall suffer no harm by
reason of their revolt, but shall be in all points
even as they were in former days. But if they
be stubborn then shall they and their children
be sold into slavery, and their land shall be
given unto strangers." Then the lords sent
messengers to tell these words to their country-
men ; but these wauld not hearken or betray
their allies. And each people thought that these
promises were made to them only and not to
the others.

Afterwards divers councils were held by the
captains of the fleet, in which, after others had
set. forth their opinions, Dionysius of Phocaea
thus spake, " Ye men of Ionia, now are our
fortunes on the razor's edge, whether we shall

28 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

be free men or slaves, and slaves that are
also runaways. If ye will endure for the time
some hardness, ye will be able to prevail over
your enemies and so be free for ever ; but if ye
continue in your present slothfulness and dis-
order, there is no hope but that ye will suffer
the wrath of the King when he shall avenge
himself on you for your revolt. Be therefore,
persuaded by me and yield yourselves to my
commands ; for if ye fulfil these faithfully either
will the Persians fly before us, or, if they fight,
will be utterly vanquished."

The lonians hearkened to these words and
committed themselves to Dionysius. And he
every day made them move their ships in
column, and practise with their oars, and
exercise themselves in breaking the line. And
the fighting men were kept under arms, and
the ships remained on their anchors, so that
the men had toil without ceasing from morning
until night. These things the lonians endured
for seven days, but on the eighth— for they were
not accustomed to such toil— being worn out
with labour and with the heat of the sun, they
began to say to each other, " Against what god

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 29

have we sinned that we suffer such things ?
Surely we were mad that we gave ourselves
to this boaster from Phocaea that has brought
but three ships only. For he has taken us
and plagued us with trouble that cannot be
endured, so that many of us have already fallen
sick, and many will soon fall. Surely it were
better to endure anything rather than these
hardships. Even slavery were better than this
servitude. Let us therefore yield him obedience
no more."

After this they would not obey him, but
pitched their tents upon the island, as though
they had been soldiers, and lay in the shade, and
would not practise themselves on their ships,
which when the captains of the Samians per-
ceived, they were more ready to receive the
offer which the Persians had made to them.
For they saw that there was no order among
the lonians, nor did they hope to prevail over
the King, knowing that if they could vanquish
this present fleet that was arrayed against them,
there would come another five times as great.
For this cause the Samians made an agreement
with the Kin^.

30 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Not many days afterwards the ships of the
Phoenicians sailed out to do battle, and the
lonians sailed against them. Who indeed bare
themselves bravely and who played the coward
that day is not certainly known, for the lonians
accused one another. But it is said that the
Samians, according to the agreement that they
had made, hoisted their sails and departed to
Samos, but that eleven ships remained in their
place and fought, for that the captains would
not obey the leaders. For this deed the state
of Samos granted them this honour, that their
names should be written on a pillar, and that the
pillar should be set up in the market-place of
Samos. And this was done. Also the men of
Lesbos, when they saw what their neighbours
did, left also their place in the line ; and indeed
the greater part of the lonians followed in the
same way. Of them that remained the men of
Chios were the most roughly handled. These
had come with a hundred ships, on each of
which were forty picked men at arms. Nor
would they follow an ill example when they
saw others play the coward, but behaved very
valiantly, and though they were left well-nigh

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 31

alone, yet broke many times through the lines
of the enemy, and took many ships. And at
the last, such as were able fled to Chios ; and
•such as had their ships so sorely wounded
that they could not return, beached their ships
at this isle, and marched into the country of the
Ephesians. This they did in the night, and the
Ephesians, thinking that they were robbers that
had come to steal away their women — for they
were keeping a festival — marched out against
them with their whole force and slew them.

As for Dionysius of Phocaea, when he saw
that the lonians were conquered, he would not
return to Phocaea, for he knew that it must
certainly fall into the hands of the Persians,
bat sailed away with his own ships and those
that he had taken, and came to Phoenicia. There
h( sank certain merchantmen and took out of
+1- n a great booty. Afterwards he sailed
to Sicily, and became a pirate, sparing indeed
C ^ek ships, but taking ships of the Car-
i-T-^gmians and Tuscans.

The Persians besieged Miletus both by land
and sea, digging mines under the walls, and
using against it all manner of devices. And

32 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

they took it in the sixth year from the time
when Aristagoras caused it to revolt from the
King. Most of the men they slew, and all the
women and the children they made slaves ; and
the temple of Apollo at Branchidae, to which,
as has been said before, King Croesus made
many gifts, they burned with fire. Such of the
inhabitants of Miletus as were not slain were
sent up to Susa. The King did them no
further harm, but settled them in the city of
Ampe, which is near to the Red Sea, by the
mouth of the river Tigris.

The Athenians showed what great sorrow
they had at the taking of Miletus by many other
proofs, and especially by this. The poet Phry-
nichus made a play, " The Taking of Miletus ; "
but when he showed it on the stage the whole
multitude in the theatre wept. And they put a
fine of a thousand drachmas upon him because
he had called to mind, they said, their own
misfortune. And they made a law that no one
thereafter should show this play.

Not many days afterwards Histiseus was
taken prisoner by the Persians. Doubtless,
had he been sent to Susa, King Darius would

OF THE TAKING OF MILETUS. 33

have pardoned him. And indeed, for fear of
this, Artaphernes, governor of Sardis, com-
manded him to be slain. His body he fastened
on a stake, and his head he embalmed and sent
it on to the King. When the King heard it,
he greatly blamed the governor, because he
had not sent him up alive ; and he commanded
that they should take the head, and dress it
with all care, and so bury it, for that this man
had been a great benefactor to the Persians.

After this the Persians took all the towns of
the Greeks on the mainland of Asia, and they
netted the islands. Now the manner of netting
was this. The men joined hands, making a line
across the island from north to south, and so
passed through it from end to end, hunting out
all the inhabitants. Thus were the cities of
the lonians enslaved for the third time, once by
Croesus, King of the Lydians, and twice by the
Persians.

After this the King, having conquered the
lonians, bided his time till he should avenge
himself upon the Athenians.

34 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER III.

OF THE FIRST WAR AGAINST GREECE.

Mardonius, the son of Gobryas, came down
from Susa, and he had a great army and
many ships. He was a young man, and he
had newly married the daughter of King
Darius. When he was come to the land of
Cilicia, he took ship and sailed to the coast
of Ionia, the other ships following him. And
being in Ionia he did this thing (a marvellous
thing, doubtless, in the eyes of them that be-
lieve not the story of Otanes, how he would
have set up among the Persians the rule of the
people) ; he cast down from their place all the
lords of the lonians, setting up in every city
the rule of the people. When he had done
this he went with all haste to the Hellespont,
whither was gathered toget*her a great multi-

OF THE FIRST WAR AGAINST GREECE. 35

tude of ships and many thousands of men.
These crossed the Hellespont in the ships, and
so marched through the land of Europe. And
their purpose was, as they said, to have
vengeance on the cities of Athens and-Eretria ;
but in truth they had it in their minds to subdue
as many as they should be able of the cities of
the Greeks. First, then, they subdued the
Thasians. These did not so much as lift a
hand against the Persians, and so were added
to the nations whom they had in slavery. From
Thasos they went to Acanthus, and leaving
Acanthus they sought to pass round Mount
Athos, which is a great promontory, running
far out into the sea. Here there fell upon the
ships a very mighty wind, such as they could
in no wise bear up against, and did them much
damage. Men say indeed that there perished
of the ships three hundred, and of men more
than twenty thousand. For the sea in these
parts is full of great monsters, which laid hold
on many of the men ; many also were dashed
against the rocks, and were so destroyed ; and
some perished because they could not swim, and
some from cold. Thus it fared with the ships.

36 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

As for Mardonius and his army, the Brygi,
that are a tribe of Thracians, assailed him in
his camp by night and slew many of his men,
and wounded Mardonius himself. Notwith-
standing-, the Brygi escaped not the doom of
slavery, for Mardonius left not this region till ■
he had utterly subdued them. But when he
had done this he went back to Asia, for his
army had suffered much from the Thracians,
and his ships from the storm at Mount Athos. ;
Thus did this great undertaking come to an
end with little honour.

For all this Darius changed not his purpose
concerning Athens and the other cities of Greece.
For every day, at his bidding, did his servant say
to him, " O King, remember the Athenians."
Also the children of Pisistratus ceased not to
speak against the city. The King indeed de-
sired, having for a pretence his quarrel against
the Athenians, to subdue all the Greeks that
would not give him earth and water; for the
giving of these things is to the Persians a token
of submission. Mardonius, seeing that he had
fared badly in his undertaking, the King dis-
charged of his office, appointing thereto Datis,i

OF THE FIRST WAR AGAINST GREECE. 37

that was a Mede, and Artaphernes his brother's
son. These then he sent on the same errand on
which he had sent Mardonius, saying to them,
" Make slaves of the men of Eretria and of the
men of Athens, and bring them to me that I
may see them." So these two went down from
the city of Susa to CiHcia, having with them a
very great army and well-appointed ; and while
they were encamped here in a plain that is
called the Aleian plain, there came also to
that country the whole array of ships as had
been commanded, and with the rest ships
designed for the carriage of horses, for in the
year before the King had commanded the in-
habitants that, such should be built. On these
ships, therefore, they embarked their horses,
and on the other ships the rest of the army, and
so set sail to Ionia, having in all six hundred
ships of war.

But they sailed not along the coast after the
former manner, going northwards to the Helles-
pont and to Thrace, but voyaged through the
islands, beginning with Samos ; and this they
did, as it seems, because they feared the going
round Mount Athos, remembering what loss

38 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

and damage they had suffered at this place in
the former expedition. Also they had Naxos
in their mind, for this had not as yet been con-
quered. They sailed, therefore, first to Naxos,
and the people of the island did not abide their
coming, but fled forthwith to the mountains.
And the Persians made slaves of all on whom
they could lay their hands, and burnt the temples
and the city with fire, and so departed. While
they were doing these things the men of Delos
left their island of Delos and fled to Tenos.
But Datis suffered not the ships of the Persians
to come to anchor at Delos, but bade them tarry
over against it in Rhenea ; and having heard
where the men of Delos had bestowed them-
selves, he sent an herald, saying, " Holy men,
why have ye fled from your dwelling-place, and
have thought that which is not fitting con-
cerning me ? For indeed my own purpose and
the commandment also which has been laid
upon me by the King js this, that we should
do no harm to the land in which the two Great
Ones, Apollo and Artemis, were born, neither ;
to it nor to the inhabitants thereof. Return
ye therefore to your own dwellings and inhabit

OF THE FIRST WAR AGAINST GREECE.

39

your island." This was the message which
Datis sent to the men of Delos ; and afterwards
he burned three hundred talents' weight of
frankingense upon the altar of their temple.
And it came to pass that when he had departed
from Delos, the island was shaken by an earth-
quake. Now it had never been so shaken
before, nor hath been since. This thing, with-
out doubt, happened for a sign to the sons of
men of the evils that were coming upon them.
And indeed, in the days of Darius the son of
Hystaspes, and Xerxes the son of Darius, and
Artaxerxes the son of Xerxes, that were kings
of Persia, the one after the other, there befell
the Greeks worse evils than had befallen them
for twenty generations before the days of Darius,
of which evils some indeed came from the
Persians and some from the chief among them-
selves when they contended together for the
pre-eminence. Therefore it may well be believed
that Delos had never been shaken before as it
was shaken in these days.

From Delos the barbarians sailed to the other
islands of that sea. And whithersoever they
came they took some of the islanders to serve

40 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

in the army and the ships, and of their children
some to be hostages. But when they came to
Carystus, the people of the land would not give
hostages, neither were they willing to help in
making war upon the cities of their neighbours,
meaning thereby Eretria and Athens. Then
the Persians besieged their town and laid waste
their country till the men of Carystus agreed
to do as had been required of them.

When the Eretrians heard that the Persians
were coming against them with a great host
and many ships, they sent to the Athenians
praying for help. This the Athenians refused
not to give, but sent to such of their citizens
as had had land allotted to them in the country
of the horse-breeding Chalcidians that they
should go to the help of the men of Eretria.
But these, though they sent this message to
the Athenians, had no steadfast or worthy
purpose in the matter. Some of them indeed
were for leaving the city, that they might flee
to the hill country of Eubcea, but others, look-
ing only to their own gain, and thinking that
they should best get this from the Persians,
made ready to betray their country. This,

OF THE FIRST WAR AGAINST GREECE. 41

when ^schines the son of Nothus, than whoas,
there was none greater in Eretria, heard, he
told to the Athenians that had come the whole
matter, and said to them, " Depart ye straight-
way to your own country, lest ye also perish."
And the Athenians hearkened to the counsel
of .^schines and departed, crossing the Oropus,
and so got safe away. After this the ships
of the Persians came to the land of Eretria,
and put out the horses that they carried, and
made ready as if they would fight with the
enemy. But the Eretrians had no mind to
come out of their walls and fight ; only they
hoped that they might perchance keep these
against the enemy, for as to the counsel of
leaving their city and fleeing to the hills, this
they had given up. Then the Persians at-
tacked the wall with great fury; and for six
days they fought, many being slain on both
sides ; but on the seventh day, two men, of good
repute among the citizens, v/hose names were
Euphorbus and Philagrus, betrayed Eretria to
the Persians ; and these, entering into the city,
first burnt the temples, thereby revenging the
burning of the temples of Sardis, and next

42 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

made slaves of all the people, according as
King Darius had given them commandment.

When they had thus dealt with Eretria, they
sailed against Athens, having no doubt that
they should speedily deal with this also after
the same fashion. And seeing that Marathon
was the most convenient for their purpose, and
nearest also to Eretria, thither did Hippias
the son of Pisistratus lead them. And the
Athenians, so soon as they heard of their
coming, marched with their whole force to
Marathon. Ten generals they had, of whom
the tenth was Miltiades the son of Cimon, the
son of Stesagoras.

This Cimon had been banished from Athens
by Pisistratus. And it chanced to him that as
he went into banishment he won the prize at
Olympia for the race of four-horse chariots.
This same prize his half-brother Miltiades had
also won. And in the next games at Olympia,
being five years afterwards, he won again with
the same mares; but granted to Pisistratus
that his name should be proclaimed as the
winner. Because he did this he came back to
Athens under safe-conduct. And yet again he

OF THE FIRST WAR AGAINST GREECE. 43

won the same prize with the same mares at the
games next following ; and having done this
he was slain by the sons of Pisistratus, for
Pisistratus himself was not yet alive. In the
commonhall was he slain by men that were sent
against him at night. He is buried before the
City, beyond the road that is called the Hollow
Road ; and over against him are buried the
mares that won for him these prizes. This
same thing was done by other four mares,
belonging to Evagoras the Lacedaemonian, but
besides these none other have done it. This
Cimon had two sons, of whom the elder,
Stesagoras, was brought up by his friends in
the Chersonese, and the younger, being named
Miltiades, after this same uncle, was with his
father in Athens.

This Miltiades then the Athenians had
chosen with nine others to be general. But
before this he had but narrowly escaped death.
For first the Phoenicians pursued him so far as
Imbros, being very desirous to lay hands upon
him and to take him to the King. And when
he had escaped from these, and, coming to his
own country, believed that he was now in

44 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

safety, his enemies brought him into judgment
by reason of the lordship which he had had in
the Chersonese. But these, too, he escaped,
and the people chose him for their general.

CHAPTER IV.

OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON.

First of all the generals, before they led forth
their army out of the city, sent a herald to
Sparta, Pheidippides by name, who was
an Athenian by birth, and by profession a
runner, and one who had diligently exercised
himself, and was very swift of foot. This man
affirmed and declared to the Athenians that
when he came in his running to Mount
Parthenius, which is above Tegea, there met
him the god Pan, and that Pan called him by
his name, Pheidippides, and said to him, " Say
to the Athenians, Why do they take no heed of
me, though I am their friend, and have often
done them good service in time past, and will
do so hereafter." The Athenians, believing
that this story was true, afterwards, when things
had gone well with them, built a temple to the
god Pan under the Acropolis, and honoured

46 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

him with yearly sacrifices and a procession of
torches. Pheidippides then, being thus sent by
the generals, came to Sparta on the next day,
(Between Athens and Sparta there are one
hundred and thirty and seven miles.) And so
soon as he was come he went to the rulers and
said, " O men of Sparta, the Athenians pray
you that ye come and help them, and suffer
not the most ancient city in the land of Greece
to be brought into slavery by the barbarians.
Already have they brought the men of Eretria
into slavery, and Greece hath become the
weaker by a famous city." This message did
Pheidippides deliver to the Spartans. And to
them when they heard it seemed good that
they should help the men of Athens. Only
they could not go to their help forthwith,
because they would not break the law. For it
was then but the ninth day of the moon ; and
on the ninth day it was unlawful for them, they
said, to march, because the moon was not yet
full. Therefore they waited for the full moon.

In the meantime Hippias the son of Pisis-
tratus led the Persians to Marathon ; and the
prisoners from Eretria he landed on the island

OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON. 47

that is called ^gileia. And when the barbarians
had disembarked from the ships, he busied him-
self with the setting of them in order. In the
doing of this it happened to him to sneeze and
cough with much violence ; and, he being an
old man, his teeth for the most part were griev-
ously shaken, and one of them he spat (orth.
This tooth fell into the sand, and he made
much ado to find it, but could not. Seeing this
he groaned, and said to them that stood by,
" This land is not ours, neither shall we be able
to subdue it; as for the share of it that was
mine this tooth has taken it."

By this time the army of the Athenians was
drawn up in the precinct of Hercules. To
them being there there came the men of Platsea,
every man that was able to bear arms. For the
Plateeans had before this time given themselves
over to Athens, and the Athenians had by this
time had no small trouble on their behalf.

The cause of the Platseans so giving them-
selves over was this. At the first, when they
were pressed hard by the Thebans, they came
to King Cleomenes, who chanced to be in
their country, and would have given themselves

48 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

over to him and the Lacedaemonians. But
Cleomenes and his people would not receive
them, saying, " We dwell in a country that is
very far from you, and our help would be
but of small avail to you. For indeed it might
happen to you, and not once only, that ye should
be made slaves, before any of us could so much
as hear of the matter. Therefore we counsel
you to give yourselves over to the men of
Athens ; seeing that they dwell close at hand
and are good to help." This was the counsel
of the Lacedaemonians, which they gave, not
because they had any love for the men of Plataea,
but thinking that the Athenians would have
trouble without end if by these means they
should be set at enmity with the Thebans,
The men of Plataea willingly hearkened to their
counsel, and sent envoys, who, journeying to
Athens, sat themselves down on the altar and
surrendered themselves, the Athenians keeping
at this time the festival of the Twelve Gods.
When the Thebans heard what had been done
they marched against the men of Plataea ; and
on the other hand the Athenians came to their
help. When these were now about to join

OF THE BATTLE OF MARATlt&M^

49

battle, the Corinthians — for they chanced to be
there — would not suffer them so to do, but made
an agreement between them, both consenting
thereunto. This agreement was that if any of
the dwellers in Bceotia wished not to come into
the league of Thebes, it should be lawful for
them to stand aloof. When the Corinthians had
given this sentence they departed to their own
city. The Athenians also departed ; but as
they were on their way, the Thebans set upon
them, but were worsted in the battle. Then
the Athenians were no longer willing to abide
by the boundaries which the Corinthians had
determined for the men of Platsea, but took
instead the river Asopus to be the boundary
between them and the Thebans. So now the
men of Platsea, being willing to make a return
to the Athenians for the benefit which they had
received, came to their help at Marathon.

The generals of the Athenians were divided
in their opinion, some being unwilling that they
should join battle with the Persians, for they
considered how few in numbers they were to
stand against so great a host; but others, among
whom was Miltiades, were for joining battle.

S

"so ' THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Then, there being this division, as it seemed
likely that the worse counsel would prevail,
Miltiades went to the war-archon, whose name
was Callimachus, a man of Aphidnse. The war-
archon among the Athenians was appointed by
lot, and in former days it was the custom that
he should vote together with the ten generals.
To him therefore went Miltiades, and spake
to him these words, " Thou hast it in thine
hands, O Callimachus, either to bring Athens
under the yoke of slavery, or to make it free for
evermore, and in so doing to gain for thyself a
name that shall never die, and glory such that
not even Harmodius and Aristogeiton won for
themselves. For indeed never since Athens
was a city has it come into such danger as that
wherein it now stands. For if it bow its neck
to the yoke of the barbarian and be given over
to this Hippias, what it will suffer thou knowest
very well ; but if it escape this danger, then will
it become the very first city in the land of
Greece. And now I will set forth to thee how
these things may pass, and also how it lies
with thee to determine whether they shall turn
out for the better or the worse. We generals

OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON. 51

are ten in number, and our opinions are divided,
for some would have us join battle with the
Persians, and others would not. Now hear
what will take place if we join not battle with
these strangers forthwith. There will be a
great dispute in the city, and the counsels of
men will be turned aside from the right, so that
the party of the Persians will prevail. But if
we join battle before this evil begin to show
itself, then I doubt not, if the Gods deal fairly
with us, that we shall prevail in battle, and so
be safe. And now all this lies upon thee,
whether it shall be so or no. If thou wilt add
thy vote to my vote, then shall this thy native
country be free, and shall be the first city in all
Greece.' But if, on the other hand, they that '
be unwilling to fight shall gain the day, then
shall happen to us the contrary of all the good
things of which I have spoken." With these
words Miltiades persuaded Callimachus ; and
when the vote of the war-archon was given to
them that counselled battle, it was agreed that
battle should be given. After this, each one of
those generals that had given his vote for joining
battle, when his turn of command came round — -

52 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

for each man commanded in turn day by day —
gave up his turn to Miltiades. Nevertheless
Miltiades made not use of any of their turns,
but waited till his own proper turn came round.
And when this was come then the Athenians
were drawn up in order of battle ; their right
wing was led by Callimachus — for in those days
it was the custom among the Athenians that the
war-archon should lead the right wing — and after
him came the tribes of the Athenians, one after
the other, in their order, according to their
numbers, and last of all, upon the left wing,
were the men of Plataea. And ever since the
battle that was fought upon this day it has ,been
the custom among the Athenians, when they
hold their sacrifice and solemn convocation in
the fifth year, that the herald of the Athenians
should pray aloud in these words, " May the
Gods send all blessings to the men of Athens
and to the men of Platsea." Now the Athenians
sought to make their line of battle equal to the
line of the Persians ; and that they might do so
they took away men from the centre, so that
this was the weakest part of the army, the wings
being the strongest. And so, so soon as the

OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON. 53

battle had been set in array, and the sacrifice
being made appeared to be favourable, then the
Athenians, being let go, charged the Persians at
a running pace, the space between the two armies
being eight furlongs or thereabouts. And the
Persians, when they saw them coming against
them at a run, made ready to receive them, but
thought that they must be possessed with utter
madness and frenzy, seeing that they were so
few in number and yet were running to meet
them, and this though they had neither horsemen
nor archers. So the barbarians judged ; but
not the less the Athenians, joining battle in one
body with their enemies, quitted themselves in
a manner worthy of all praise. For indeed
never before had Greeks so charged against
their enemies in battle at a running pace, nor
had any before endured to see without fear men
clad and armed in the fashion of the Medes.
For indeed before that day the very name of
the Medes had been a terror to the Greeks
to hear. Long time did the barbarians and
Athenians fight together in Marathon. In the
middle of the line the barbarians prevailed, for
there the Persians and the Sacae had their place.

54 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

These brake the line of the Greeks, and pur-
sued them for some space towards the mountains.
But on each of the two wings the Greeks pre-
vailed, the Athenians being on the one wing
and the men of Plataea upon the other. These,
having broken their enemies, suffered them to
flee, and then wheeling round the two wings
upon the barbarians that had broken the middle
of the line, they prevailed over these also.
Then the Persians fled to their ships, and the
Athenians pursued them, smiting them and
slaying them ; and when they, pursuing them,
came to the sea, they called for fire and would
have burned the ships. In this part of the battle
fell Callimachus, the war-archon, who had shown
himself that day a man of valour. Also there
fell Stesilatis, son of Thrasilaiis, being one of
the ten generals. Also Cynaegirus, son to
Euphorion, whose brother was ^schylus the
poet, was slain at this time ; for, laying hold
of the stern ornament of one of the ships of the
Persians, he had his hand cut off by the blow of
an axe ; and there perished with him other
Athenians also of note and name. Neverthe-
less the Athenians took seven of the ships at

OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON. 55

this time. With the rest the barbarians pushed
off from the shore, and having taken up the
prisoners from Eretria from the island whereon
they had left them, they sailed round the pro-
montory of Sunium, hoping that they should
come to the city before that the army of the
Athenians should be able to return thither. In
this matter the house of the sons of Alcm^on
were accused by their fellow countrymen, who
said that they had held up a shield for a signal
to the Persians ; and that it had been covenanted
that they should do so, that the Persians might
take the city unawares and empty of men. So
the Persians sailed rouiid Cape Sunium; and
the Athenians marched with all the speed that
they could that they might defend the city ; and
when they were come they encamped in the
precinct of Hercules, that is at Cynosargae ; and
it so chanced that they came from the precinct
of Hercules that is in Marathon. For a while
the ships of the barbarians lay off Phalerum,
which was in those days the port of Athens, but
in no long time sailed back to Asia.

In this battle that was fought at Marathon
there were slain of the barbarians six thousand

56 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

and four hundred or thereabouts, and of the
Athenians one hundred and ninety and two.
In the battle also there happened this marvel.
A man of Athens, Epizelus by name, the son of
Couphagoras, fighting in the press, and bearing
himself bravely, was of a sudden smitten with
blindness, and this without being wounded any-
where in the body or stricken at all. And he
was blind for the remainder of his days. Now
the story which this man told about the matter
was this. " I saw," he said, " a man of great
stature fully armed stand over against me, and
he had a great beard that covered his whole
shield. Me indeed he passed by, but the man
that stood next to me he smote and slew."

When Datis was on his way to Asia, being
at Myconos, he saw a vision in his sleep. What
this vision was no man knows ; but this is
certain that so soon as the day dawned he
caused a search to be made in all the ships ;
and in a certain Phcenician ship he found an
image of Apollo that was covered with gold, and
would know whence it had been brought. And
when he knew from what temple it had been
taken, he sailed with his own ship to Delos.

OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON. 57

And he put the image in the temple and laid a
command upon the men of Delos — for they had
by this time come back to their island — that
they should carry back the image to the Delian
temple of the Thebans. (This temple stands on
the sea shore over against Chalcis.) When he
had given these commands Datis departed, but
the men of Delos neglected to do as he had
said; but twenty years after the Thebans, having
been warned by an oracle, fetched it themselves.
When Datis and Artaphernes were come to
Asia they took the people of Eretria whom
they had carried away captive and brought
them up to Susa, to King Darius. Now King
Darius had before this been greatly enraged
against the people of Eretria, holding that they
had done him wrong without provocation ; but
when he saw them thus brought before him and
in his power, he did them no harm, but settled
them in a station of his own in the land of the
Cissia. This station was called Ardericca, and
it is distant from Susa twenty and six miles or
thereabouts. Five miles from this Ardericca is
a great well whence they get three things, to
wit, bitumen, salt, and oil. Here then King

58 THE STORY OF THE PEJiS/A.V IVAIi.

Darius settled the people of Eretria, and here
they remained many years afterwards still
speaking their own language.

When the full moon was past there came to
Athens two thousand Lacedaemonians, having
marched with all speed/ so that they came to
Athens on the third day after they had set out
from Sparta. These, though they had come
too late for the battle, much desired to see the
Persians that had been slain. So they went to
Marathon, and when they had seen them and
had greatly praised the Athenians and their
valour they departed to their own home.

CHAPTER V.

OF THE SONS OF ALCM^ON AND THE END
OF MILTIADES.

This story that they tell of the sons of Alcmaeon,
how they held up a shield to the Persians seek-
ing to destroy the city, that it might be under
the lordship of Hippias, is passing strange,
seeing that the house of Alcmseon had showed
itself an enemy to tyrants not less than any
other house among the Greeks. And indeed
so long as the lordship of the sons of Pisistratus
endured at Athens, so long did they remain in
exile ; and as for the ending of this lordship,
they are to be praised for it rather than are
Harmodius and Aristogeiton, for these did but
make the sons of Pisistratus the more cruel by
slaying Hipparchus ; but as for making their
tyranny to cease they did nothing. This was
the work of the sons of Alcmseon if it be true,
as has been told, that they had persuaded the

6o THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Pythia for money to lay this charge upon the
Lacedaemonians that they should cause Athens
to be free. Nor indeed is it to be thought that
the sons of Alcmseon betrayed their country by
reason of anger against their countrymen ; for
there were none in those days of greater reputa-
tion than were these men, nor any that were
more honoured. That a shield was held up is
certain; but as to who it was that held it up,
this no man knows.

As for the house of Alcmseon it was famous
in Athens from the beginning ; but there were
two men that more than all others made it
to be of great renown ; and these two were
Alcmaeon and Megacles. As for Alcmseon,
how he got him great riches from Croesus, King
of Lydia, has been told already; and as for
Megacles the matter stands thus.

Cleisthenes son of Aristonymus, being lord of
Sicyon, would have for his daughter's husband
that man whom he should find to be noblest of all
the Greeks. The name of this daughter was Aga-
rista. For this purpose he caused proclamation
to be made at the festival of Olympia, where he
had won a victory with a chariot cf four horses.

OF THE SONS OF ALCAL'EON. 6i

And the proclamation was this : " Let any
Greek who holds himself to be worthy of being
son-in-law to Cleisthenes come on the sixtieth
day, or before it if he will, to the city of Sicyon,
for Cleisthenes will determine in fhe space of a
year, beginning with the sixtieth day, to whom
he should give his daughter in marriage."
To Cleisthenes therefore came so many of the
Greeks as thought much of themselves or of
their house ; and he had prepared a course for
foot-racing and a wrestling ground to make
trial of them. From Italy came Smindyrides of
Sybaris, that was the most luxurious liver of all
the men of his day. And those were the times
when the city of Sybaris was at the very height
of its prosperity. And from ^tolia there came
Males brother of Titormus. This Titormus
excelled all men in strength. He it was that
seeking to withdraw himself altogether from the
sight of men fled into the furthest parts of
iEtolia. There came also Leocedes, son of
Pheidon, that was lord of Argos. This was that
Pheidon who brought in the weights and
measures that the dwellers in Peloponnese use.
No man was more arrogant than he. He drave

62 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

out the men of Elis from being masters of the
festivals of Olympia and was master himself.
Also among the suitors was Laphanes the
Arcadian, the son of Euphorion, who, so say
the Arcadians, received in his house the Twin-
Brethren, and ever after used hospitality to all
comers. From Athens there came Hippoclides
the son of Tisander, who excelled all the
Athenians in riches and beauty ; and also
Megacles, being son to that Alcmaeon whom
King Croesus had made rich. These and others
also came to Sicyon as suitors for Agarista on
the sixtieth day, as had been appointed. Then
Cleisthenes first of all enquired of each his
country and his father's house ; and afterwards,
for the space of a whole year, made trial of their
courage and their temper and their training and
their behaviour, having converse with them
sometimes one by one and sometimes altogether.
Such as were younger among them he would
send to the place of games ; but chiefly he made
trial of all at the banqueting table. Thus he
behaved himself with them for the space of a
whole year, entertaining them right splendidly
the whole year. And of all the suitors none

OF THE SONS OF ALCM^ON. 63

pleased him so well as the two that came from
Athens, and of these two he inclined the rather
to Hippoclides, not only for his high carnage,
but also because he was of kin to the house of
Cypselus that had had the lordship of Corinth.

When the day came for the espousals, and
for Cleisthenes to declare his mind whom he
, chose out of the suitors for his daughter's hus-
band, he sacrificed a hundred oxen and made a
great feast to the suitors and to all the people
of Sicyon. And after the feast the suitors con-
tended with each other in music and in speak-
ing on some subject that was proposed to them.
And as the drinking went on, Hippoclides,
all the others wondering much at him, bade the
flute-player play music to him ; and when the
flute-player did so, he danced. And in this
dancing he pleased himself marvellously, but
Cleisthenes looked askance on the whole busi-
ness. Again, after resting awhile, Hippoclides
bade them bring a table ; and when the table
was brought, he mounted upon it, and danced,
first certain Spartan figures, and then certain
Athenian ; and at the last, with his head upon
the table, he began to toss his legs about in the

64 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

air. During the first dancing, and during
the second, Cleisthenes held his peace, not
wishing to break out upon the man, though
indeed he loathed to think of having Hippo-
elides for a son-in-law, so much did he hate the
man's passion for dancing and his shameless-
ness. But when he saw him tossing his legs
in the air he could restrain himself no longer,
but cried aloud, "Son of Tisander, thou hast
danced away thy wife ! " And the young man
said, " Hippoclides does not care!" which
words have become a proverb among the
Greeks. After this Cleisthenes commanded
silence, and spake thus in the midst of the
suitors : " My friends that are come to be
suitors of my daughter, I am well pleased with
all of you, and gladly would I content you all,
if it were possible, and not choose out one from
among you and reject the rest. But this,
seeing that I have to dispose of a single maiden
in marriage, I cannot do. To you therefore
who are disappointed in your suit I give a gift,
a talent of silver to each man, because ye have
done me honour in seeking to take a wife from
my house, and because ye have been at charge,

OF THE SONS OF ALCMMON. 65

living away from your homes. But my daugh-
ter Agarista I betroth to Megacles, the son of
Alcmaeon, after the custom of the land of
Attica." And when Megacles had also plighted
his troth, the marriage was made. Thus did
the house of Alcmeeon become famous through-
out the land of Greece. To these two, Me-
gacles and Agarista, was born Cleisthenes, the
same that divided the Athenians into tribes
and set up also the rule of the people. This
name he had from his grandfather of Sicyon.
Also there was born another son, Hippocrates,
and Hippocrates had a son Megacles and a
daughter Agarista. This Agarista was married
to Xahthippus the son of Ariphon ; and being
with child, she had, a vision in her sleep, and
dreamt that she brought forth a lion. . Not
many days afterwards she bare a son whose
name was Pericles.

Now shall be told the end of Miltiades. This
man, after the battle that was fought at
Marathon, having been held before in high
esteem among his countrymen, increased yet
more in reputation. This being so, he asked
of the Athenians seventy ships and an army

6

66 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

and money. He told them not to what place
he purposed to take the ships, saying only
that if they would hearken to him he would
greatly enrich them ; for he would take them to
a land whence they might easily get gold with-
out stint. In this way he asked for the ships,
and the Athenians, being carried away by what
they heard, gave him that which he asked for.
Then Miltiades, having got the ships and the
army, sailed to the island of Paros. And the
cause which he pretended for so doing was
that the Parians had first made war against
Athens, for that they had sent a ship of war
with the Persians. This cause indeed he pre-
tended ; but in truth he had a grudge against
a certain man of Paros, Lysagoras by name,
because he had slandered him to Hydarnes the
Persian. When Miltiades was come to Paros,
the Parians took refuge within their walls ; and
a siege was begun. Then he sent a herald to
the city, and demanded of the Parians a hun-
dred talents, saying that he would not take his
army thence till he had destroyed them, if
they would not pay the money. Now the
Parians had no thought of paying the money

OF THE SONS OF ALCM^ON. 67

to Miltiades ; but they did their utmost to
strengthen their city against him, contriving
many devices, among which was this, that where
the wall was weakest there they built it up to
twice the height that it had before.

So far in the story are the Greeks agreed.
But what happened after this is thus told by the
men of Paros. To Miltiades, being in great
straits, there came a woman that was a priestess,
a Parian by birth, whose name was Timo ; and
she was a priestess of the lower gods, but one
of the meaner sort. This woman came to Mil-
tiades and said to him, " If thou hast set thy
mind on taking Paros, do what I shall tell thee
and thou shalt have thy wish." And when she
had unfolded to him her counsel, he went to
the hill that is before the city and leapt over
the fence that is about the precinct of Demeter
the Lawgiver, for the door he was not able to
open. And after leaping over the fence, he
went to the sanctuary ; and what he purposed
to do therein, whether to move any of the things
that may not be touched, or any other thing, no
man can say; but when he was come to the
door there fell suddenly upon him a great

68 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

horror, so that he went back by the way by
which he had come. But as he leapt over the
fence he strained his thigh, or, as some say, he
bruised his knee upon the ground.

After this Miltiades, being in evil case, went
back to Athens, but he brought the people no
money, neither had he conquered Paros for them.
Only he had besieged the city for twenty and six
days, and had laid waste the island. And when
the men of Paros knew of the priestess, that
she had led Miltiades into the temple, so soon
as the siege was at an end they sent worship-
pers to Delphi who should enquire whether they
should not slay the priestess that had meditated
the betraying of the country, and had caused
Miltiades to see the holy things which it is not
lawful for any man to behold. But the Pythia
' answered, " Slay her not ; fol" it was the will of
the Gods that Miltiades should come to an evil
end, and this woman led him unto the sarpe."
As for Miltiades, when he was come back to
Athens the Athenians had much talk about
him ; and the chief of his enemies was Xan-
thippus. This man brought him to trial for his
life before the people, whom, he said, he had

OF THE SONS OF ALCM^ON. 69

deceived. And Miltiades, though he was pre-
sent at • his trial, could not plead for himself
because his thigh was sorely diseased, but lay
there upon a couch, while his friends pleaded
earnestly on his behalf, saying much about the
battle of Marathon and how he had taken the
island of Lemnos. And the favour of the
people was with him, so that they did not
take away his life ; yet was he condemned
for his wrong-doing in a fine of fifty talents.
After this Miltiades died in his prison, for the
bone of his thigh had splintered, and the flesh
was mortified. And the fine was paid by
Cimon his son.

70 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER VI.

HOW PREPARATION WAS MADE FOR THE SECOND
WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS.

When King Darius heard tidings of the battle
at Marathon, his wrath, which was already hot
against the Athenians by reason of their doings
at Sardis, waxed yet more fierce, so that he
was more earnest than ever to make war against
Greece. And straightway he sent messengers
to all the cities in his dominions, bidding them
gather together soldiers — and of these many
more than he had commanded before — and
with these, ships and horsemen and food and
vessels of transport. And for the space of
three years after these commands had been
given, all Asia was in an uproar, seeing that the
bravest of her children were being chosen to
march against the Greeks, and were making
ready to go. But in the fourth year the Egyp-
tians, who had been enslaved by Cambyses

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. yr

revolted. Then was Darius more zealous than
before to march both against the Athenians
and the Egyptians. But while he was making
ready so to do, there came a great disputing
among his sons who should be King after him ;
for the law of the Persians is that the King de-
clares who shall reign after him before he goes
to the war. Now Darius had had three sons
born to him by his wife the daughter of Go-
bryas ; and these were born before that he was
made King ; and after that he was made King
he had four others born to him of Atossa that
was the daughter of Cyrus. Of the first three
Artabazanes was the eldest, and of the four
Xerxes. These disputed among themselves,
and Artabazanes claimed the kingdom because
he was the eldest of all, and because it was the
custom over all the world that the eldest should
have the pre-eminence ; but Xerxes claimed it
because his mother was daughter to Cyrus, and
it was Cyrus that had established the kingdom
of the Persians. Now while Darius doubted
about the matter, there came up to Susa Dema-
ratus the son of Ariston. The same had been
deprived of his kingdom in Sparta and had fled

72 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

from the city. When this man knew what it
was that the sons of Darius disputed about, he
came forward, according to report, and gave
counsel to Xerxes that over and above the
words that he had said he should say also this,
that he had been born when Darius was already
King and had dominion over all the Persians,
but that Darius was a subject only when Arta-
bazanes was born. "And indeed at Sparta,"
said Demaratus, " the law is this, that if a king
have children that are born before he be made
King, and also a child that is born after, then he
that is born after is preferred." Of these words
of Demaratus Xerxes made such use that King
Darius declared that he should be King in his
room. But in the year after it so befell that
while he was preparing to make war both,
against the Greeks and against the Egyptians,
King Darius died, having reigned over the
Persians thirty and six years in all ; and Xerxes
his son reigned in his stead. Now at the first
Xerxes by no means desired to make war
against the Greeks, but against the Egyptians
he made great preparations. Then said Mar-
donius the son of Gobryas, who was cousin to

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. t^

the King, being sister's son to King Darius,
" My lord, it is by no means fitting that the
Athenians, seeing that they have done grievous
wrong to the Persians, should thus go unpun-
ished. Do therefore first the thing that thou
hast now in hand, and when thou hast humbled
the Egyptians go forth against the Greeks. So
shalt thou have great renown throughout the
world, and men shall fear hereafter to trouble
thy land." And besides thus speaking of ven-
geance, Mardonius would also add that Europe
was a very beautiful land, bearing all manner of
fruitful trees, and of an excellent fertility, and
altogether such that no man but the King was
worthy to possess it. All this he said because
he was a lover of change and adventure ; also
he hoped to be made ruler over the land of
Greece. And at last he had his way, persuad-
ing Xerxes to take the matter in hand. There
were other things that helped him persuading
Xerxes to this act. First there came envoys
from the house of Aleuas, that was King in
Thessaly, who would fain have the King come
against the land of Greece, and showed all zeal
in his cause. Also certain of the house of

74 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

p —. - ■

Pisistratus that had come up to Susa held the
same language. These had with them one
Onomacritus, a man of Athens, that was a
soothsayer, and one that had set in order the
prophecies of Musaeus. Once indeed there
had been enmity between the son of Pisis-
tratus and this Onomacritus ; for Hipparchus
had banished him from Athens, having found
that he had added to the prophecies of Musseus
a certain prophecy how that an island which
lies near unto Lemnos should one day be swal-
lowed up in the sea. A certain Leros had found
him out in this, and Hipparchus banished
him, having been wont to consult him con-
tinually. But now the sons of Pisistratus were
reconciled to him, and took him in their com-
pany to Susa, and talked much of him and of
his wisdom. And so soon as he was brought
before the King, he repeated to him certain of
the prophecies. If there' were any prophecy
that spake of disaster to the Persians, of this he
would make no mention, but such as seemed
to promise them success he would set forth,
how that it was in the fates that a Persian
should bridge over the Hellespont. Thus did

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. 75

Onomacritus make much of his prophecies, and
the sons of Pisistratus and the sons of Aleuas
set forth their opinions to the same purpose.

So King Xerxes was persuaded to rnake war
upon the Greeks. And first, in the second
year after the death of Darius, he marched into
the land of Egypt, and having enslaved it more
than it had been enslaved before, he gave it
over to Acheemenes his brother, and son to
Darius. (This Achsemenes was afterwards
slain by Inaros, the son of Psammeticus, a
Nubian.) And after this, being now about to
lead his army against Athens, he called an
assembly of the" noblest of the Persians, that he
might hear what they thought, and might him-
self say what he would have them hear. And
when they were gathered together he spake,
saying, " There is a custom, which indeed I did
not first establish, but received it from the kings
before me, that w;e Persians have never rested
since the day when we took this kingdom from
the Medes. So the Gods will have it, and in
so doing have we greatly prospered. What
nations Cyrus and Cambyses and Darius my
father subdued ye know well. And since I

76 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

came to this kingdom I have studied how I
might show myself to be not behind them, and
might not the less increase our Empire. And
now I will set before you what I purpose. I
will bridge over the Hellespont and cross into
Europe that I may avenge my father and this
nation upon the Athenians for all the wrong
that they have done, burning their city with
fire. Nor shall we get vengeance only, but this
good also, that conquering the Athenians and
their neighbours that dwell in the island of
Pelops, we shall have the whole earth subject
to us, for I take it that when these Greeks have
been subdued there is no city or nation that
shall be able to stand against us. This then
is my judgment, but I would have you say
what is your minds. Speak, therefore."

Then spake Mardonius : " O my lord, thou
showest thyself to be the noblest of the Per-
sians, not of those only that have been in
former times, but also of all that shall be here-
after, when thou settest forth such good coun-
sels in such excellent words. Surely it is not
well that these men of Ionia should laugh at us
and go unpunished, and that when we have

u

o
o

w

K

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. 77

subdued Indians and Assyrians and Ethiopians,
not because they had done us wrong, but
because we would enlarge our borders, we
should leave these Greeks unharmed after
that they have done us wrongs grievous and
many. And that we may easily vanquish them,
I doubt not at all. For I rriyself, at the bidding
of my father Darius, marched against them,
and went so far as the land of Macedonia, and
indeed had come to the city of Athens itself,
nor did I find any that dared meet me in battle.
And yet, as I hear, these Greeks are wont to
fight in a most foolish and ignorant fashion.
For when they have declared war against one
another, then they choose out the fairest and
smoothest plot that they can find, and come
down to this, and so fight that they who have
the better in the battle yet depart not without
great loss ; as for them that are worsted there
is nothing to be said, for they are utterly
destroyed. For why, seeing that they are all
of them one language, do they not send heralds
and messengers, and so compose their differ-
ences peaceably, rather than settle them by
fighting ? And, if they must needs fight, why

78 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

do they not make the best each of them of that
which they have, and so join in battle ? And
yet, notwithstanding this their ' folly, when I
marched so far as Macedonia; not one of them
dared to meet me. And now, O King, who
will stand up against thee when thou bringest
with thee all the warriors out of the land of Asia
and the ships also ? And if they be so mad as
to stand, then shall they learn that we Persians
are the greatest warriors on the face of the
earth."

When Mardonius had thus spoken all the
other Persians kept silence ; but at the last
Artabanus the son of Hystaspes, being uncle
to King Xerxes, and so taking courage to
speak, put forth a contrary opinion in these
words : " O King, if there be not set forth
opinions that are contrary the one to the other,
thou canst not choose the better, but must
follow the one which thou hearest. For it is
with opinions as it is with gold. Pure gold we
know not so long as it is left by itself, but when
we rub it against that which is not pure, then
we know it. I counselled thy father Darius
that he should not make war on the Scythians,

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. 79

men that have no city to dwell in ; but he,
thinking to subdue them, would not hearken to
me, but marched against them, and lost many
and brave soldiers. And now thou hast it in
thy heart to make war against men that are far
better than the Scythians, being mighty both
by sea and land. Hear, therefore, into what
danger thou art moving. Thou wilt bridge
over the Hellespont, and march into the land
of Greece. Suppose that thou suffer defeat,
whether it be by sea or by land, or, haply,
by both, for the men are valiant (and indeed
what they can do we know full well, for Datis
and Artaphernes, when they led a mighty host
into Attica, the Athenians alone defeated). But
suppose they get the mastery by sea only, and
so, sailing to the Hellespont, break down the
bridge. This surely, O King, would be a
terrible thing. Nor is this thing that I say of
my own devising. For thy father Darius
bridged over the Thracian Bosphorus and the
Danube, and so marched against the Scythians.
And when the Scythians used all manner of
entreaties to the lonians, to whom indeed the
King had entrusted the charge of the bridge,

8o THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

if Histiseus of Miletus had followed the judg-
ment of the other lords of the lonians in this
and had set himself against us, then had the
power of the Persians been utterly destroyed..
Surely it is a dreadful thing even to speak of,
that the fortunes of the King should have rested
upon the will of one man. Put away therefore,
O King, I beseech thee, this thy purpose to
run without any need into this great danger,
and hearken unto me. Break up this council
and think over this matter in thine heart, and
afterwards declare unto us thy purpose, and
remember this also, that God smites with his
thunder such creatures as are tall and strong,
passing by them that are smaller and weaker,
and that it is on the tallest houses and trees
that his bolts for the most part fall. For he
is wont to bring down all high things. So
otherwise a very great host is often put to
flight by a few men, God sending upon it some
storm or panic, for he will not suffer any but
himself to have high thoughts. And as to thee,
Mardonius, thou doest ill, speaking lightly
against the Greeks, and persuading the King
to head his army against them ; for this thou

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. 8i

manifestly wishest. God grant that thou suc-
ceed not in thy purpose. But if it must needs
be that we march against the Greeks, then at
the least let the King remain here safe at home.
And let us make this wager between ourselves.
Choose out for thyself such men as thou wilt
have, and take with thee an army so great as
thou desirest, and if things go as thou sayest
that they will, according to the pleasure of the
King, then let my children be slain, and I also
with them. But if things go not so, then shall
thy children be slain, and thou also with them,
if indeed thou shalt ever come back. But if
thou wilt not take this wager, and wilt still
march against the Greeks, then am I sure that
they who are left in this land will hear that
Mardonius has perished, having first worked
great harm to the Persians, and lies torn by
dogs and birds in the land of the Athenians, or,
it may be, of the Lacedaemonians, having so
learned what manner of men they are against
whom thou persuadest the King to make war."
When Artabanus had thus spoken, Xerxes
was very wroth, and cried, " Artabanus, thou art
brother to my father, and this kinship shall save

7

82 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

thee, so that thou shalt not receive the due
reward of thy folly. Nevertheless, this dis-
grace I ordain for thee, for thy evil-mindedness
and cowardice ; thou shalt not march with me
against this land of Greece, but shalt remain
here with the women, and I without thee will
accomplish that I have said. For let me not
be said to be the son of Darius, the son of
Hystaspes, the son of Arsemes, the son of Aria-
ramnes, the son of Teispes, the son of Cyrus,
the son of Cambyses, the son of Teispes, the
son of Achsemenes, if I avenge not myself on
these Athenians. Verily I believe that if I do
not so they will come against this land, so bold
have they shown themselves in time past, so
that if we subdue them not, then will they
subdue us, for indeed there is nothing between
these two things. Rightly then shall I make
war against these men, and so learn what is this
great danger that lips in dealing with them, for
are they not the same whom Pelops the Phry-
gian, that was servant to the kings my fathers,
subdued so utterly, that their land is called the
Island of Pelops to this day ?

But when it was night the King was much

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. 83

troubled by the words of Artabanus ; and
taking counsel with himself, he judged that
it would not be well to make war against the
Greeks, and so fell asleep. But in the night,
so say the Persians, he saw a vision. There
stood over him a man tall and fair, who
spake to him, saying, " Man of Persia, dost
thou then change thy purpose so that after
bidding the Persians gather together a great
army, now thou wilt not lead it against the
Greeks? Thou dost not well so to change.
Go rather on the way whereon thou hast set
out." When the man had said so much he
vanished out of the King's sight. But when
the day dawned Xerxes made no account of the
vision that he had seen, but called together the
Persians, as he had done the day before, and
spake to them, saying, " Forgive me, men of
Persia, if I change the purpose that I had
yesterday ; for I am not yet grown, to the full
height 'of my understanding, and they that give
me this counsel cease not urging me. When
therefore I heard the words of Artabanus the
spirit of youth grew hot within me, and I spake
to him such words as I should not have spoken,

84 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

seeing that he is an old man. But now I con-
fess my fault and yield myself to his judgment.
Rest therefore in peace, knowing that I have
changed my purpose, and will not make war
against the Greeks."

When the Persians heard these words they
rejoiced greatly and worshipped the King.
But when it was night there came again the
same vision to Xerxes, and stood over him, and
spake, saying, " Son of Darius, thou hast de-
clared thyself openly before all the Persians,
changing thy purpose about this expedition,
and taking no account of my words. Know
this therefore, that if thou do not go straight-
way on this journey, there shall rise out of the
matter this ending. As thou didst become in a
short space great and the lord of many men, so
shalt thou in a short space be brought low."

When Xerxes heard these words he was
much dismayed, and leapt up from his bed and
sent a messenger to call Artabanus. And when
he was come, Xerxes said to him, " Artabanus,
1 was not well advised, speaking to thee un-
seemly words when thou hadst given me good
counsel. But in a short time I repented me

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. 8;

purposing to do the things which thou didst
counsel me. But though this is my purpose, I
am not able to follow it ; for now that I am
changed and have repented of my folly, there
appears to me a vision haunting me, and in no
wise consenting to my resolve. And even now
it has threatened me and departed. If there-
fore it be God that sends this vision to me, and
if it be altogether according to his will that I
should make this expedition against Greece,
then the same vision will come to thee, and
command thee the same things that it com-
manded me. And this, I think, will most surely
happen If thou wilt take all my royal apparel
and put it on thee, and so sit on my seat, and
afterwards sleep in my bed."

This at the first Artabanus was loath to do,
but at the last moment consented to it. But
first he spake to the King, saying, "When thou
didst reproach me, O King, this troubled me
not, but rather to see that when there were set
before the Persians two counsels, whereof the
one tended to increase their pride, and the other
to prudence, thou didst choose the worse. And
now that thou hast turned to wiser counsels

86 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

thou sayest that there came a vision that will
not suffer thee to cease from this purpose of
war, and that it comes by the sending of a god.
Now as to dreams and visions, know that there
is nothing divine in them, but that they wander
about at random. For I am much older than
thou, and know more of such things. Now
men are wont to dream of such things as they
have been concerned with in the day ; and we
have been much concerned with this matter of
the war. But if this vision be not such as I
think, but rather as thou sayest, of the sending
of a god, then will it appear and lay its com-
mands upon me even as it did upon thee ; nor
should it appear to me at all the more because
I wear thy clothing or sit upon thy seat. For
this thing, whatever it be, that thou seest in thy
dreams cannot be so foolish as to think that I
am thou, because I wear thy clothing. Now if
it take no heed of me, and still appear to thee,
saying the same things, then shall I myself
judge it to be of God. For the rest, if it be thy
purpose that I wear thy apparel, and sleep in
thy bed, be it so ; let the vision appear to me.
But for the present I hold to my own opinion."

SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS. 87

So much said Artabanus, hoping to persuade
Xerxes that the thing was nought. He put on
the King's apparel, and sat on his throne, and
afterwards lay down to sleep in his bed. And
when he was asleep there came to him the same
vision that had come to Xerxes, and stood over
him and spake, saying, " Thou art he that per-
suadeth Xerxes not to make war against the
Greeks, having, thou sayest, a care for him.
Verily thou shalt not go unpunished, either now
or hereafter, seeking to hinder that which it is
the purpose of God to bring to pass. And
as for wliat Xerxes shall suffer if he be dis-
obedient in this matter, it has been declared to
him already."

When the vision had thus spoken it seemed
to Artabanus to make as if it were about to
burn out his eyes with hot irons. Then he
cried aloud, and leapt up from the bed, and sat
him down by Xerxes and told him all that he
had seen. And afterwards he said to the King,
" I am one, O King, that has seen strong things
overthrown by the weak, and so I would not
have thee yield to thy desires, knowing that it
was an evil thing to covet great possessions,

88 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

and remembering how ill Cyrus fared when he
made war against the Massagetse, and Cam-
byses against the Ethiopians, and having my-
self gone with Darius against the Scythians.
But now since this inspiration comes from
God, who is preparing, it seems, utter destruc-
tion against the Greeks, I change my counsel.
Do thou therefore declare to the Persians the
purpose of God, and take good care that if
God give thee this opportunity, thou shalt not
fail anything on thy part."

So soon therefore as it was day Xerxes told
the whole matter to the Persians, and Artabanus,
who had been the only one to speak against the
war, was now the foremost in urging it.

CHAPTER VII.

OF THE SETTING FORTH OF XERXES.

For the space of four years from the subduing
of Egypt did the servants of King Xerxes
gather together the host and all such things as
were needful for it. And in the beginning of
the fifth year the King set out upon his march,
having such an army as had never before been
seen. For indeed that which Darius led against
the Scythians was as nothing in comparison of
this, neither was that wherewith the Scythians
invaded the land of Asia, and subdued the
northern parts thereof (this was the cause why
Darius invaded the land of the Scythians), nor
that which the sons of Atreus led against Troy,
nor that of the Mysians and Teucrians, who, in
the days before the Trojan war, conquered the
khd of Thrace, and came as far as the river
Peneus that is in the land of Thessaly. Not
one of these armies is worthy to be compared

90 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

with the army of Xerxes. For what people of
Asia did he not lead against Greece ? And
what stream, saving only the great rivers, was
not drunk up by his armies ? Some were
bidden to furnish foot soldiers, and some horse-
men, and some ships for carrying of horses and
men at arms, and some ships of war for the
bridges, and others food and ships. First of all,
seeing that they who had first sailed against
Greece had suffered great loss at Mount Athos,
Xerxes caused that there should be a fleet of
ships of war at Elaeus, and that men from the
ships, taking turn by turn, should dig a great
trench, digging under the lash of taskmasters,
in which work the people of the country also
took their part.

Now this Athos is a great and famous moun-
tain, that stretches out into the sea, and the
land by which it is joined to the continent is
narrow, being of the breadth of a mile and a
half. Across this Xerxes would have them dig
a trench. And the men dug it after this fashion.
A line was drawn across by the city San6, and
the nations divided the work among themselves.
When the trench was now deep, some stood

OF THE SETTING FORTH OF XERXES. 91

below and dug, and others handed up the earth
to men that stood on ladders, and these again
to others, till it was brought to the top, and so
carried away. The greater part had double
trouble with the digging, the sides breaking
away continually ; nor indeed could it have
been otherwise, seeing that they made the
measure of the top and the measure of the
bottom to be the same. But with the Phoe-
nicians it was not so, for they showed their
wisdom in this as they commonly do in other
things. When they had had their part allotted
to them, they made their digging at the top
twice as broad as was needed for the trench ;
but as they went down they made it narrower, till
at the bottom it was of the same width as the
rest. Near to the trench was a plain, wherein
there was a market and a place for buying and
selling; and much corn, ready ground, was
brought to the place from Asia.

This work, it would seem, Xerxes did from
pride, wishing to show his might, and to leave
a memorial of himself. For when he might
without trouble have had his ships drawn across
the isthmus, he commanded that a trench should

92 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

be made from one sea to the other, and this of
such a breadth that two ships of war could
pass. And he also commanded them that had
the business of digging this trench that they
should build a bridge over the river Strymon.
Other preparations also were made, ropes of
papyrus and of white flax for the bridges, and
stores of food for the army and for the beasts
of burden.

The place of gathering for the armies was
Critalla in Cappadocia. Setting out thence, it
marched through the land of Phrygia to the
city of Celaenee, which is on the river Mseander.
Here in the market-place is hung out the skin
of Marsyas the Satyr, whom Apollo flayed, when
he had vanquished him in a conquest of singing.

In this city there dwelt a certain Pythius,
the son of Atys, a Lydian. This man enter-
tained Xerxes and his whole army with very
great hospitality, and said also that he was
willing to give him money for the war. And
when the King heard this talk of mohey, he
asked them that stood by, saying, "Who is
this Pythius, and what wealth has he that he
makes such promises ? " And they said, " O

OF THE SETTING FORTH OF XERXES. 93

King, this is the man that gave the golden

plane-tree to King Darius thy father, and the

vine also ; and he surpasses all men that are in

wealth, thou only being excepted, O King."

At the last words Xerxes marvelled much ; and

he called Pythius and asked him, saying, "What

is the sum of thy wealth ? " And Pythius made

answer, " I will hide nothing from thee, nor will

I make any pretence that I do not know the

sum of my substance. I know it, and will

declare it truly to you. So soon as I knew

that you were purposing to come down with

your army to the sea of the Greeks, because I

wished to furnish you with some money for the

war, I reckoned up all that belongs to me, and

found that I have two thousand talents of silver

and four millions of gold darics, wanting seven

thousand only. All this I willingly give thee

for a gift ; and I shall still have sufficient from

my fields and from my slaves."

These words pleased King Xerxes much,
and he said, " Since I came out from the land
of Persia I have not found a man who was
willing to give entertainment to my whole army,
and also to furnish money for the war, saving

94 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

thee only. But thou hast entertained my army
in royal fashion, and now makest offer of much
money. Now for all this I will make thee this
return. First of all thou shalt be my friend
from this time forth, and thy four millions of
darics I will complete out of my own treasury,
giving thee the seven thousand that thou lackest,
that the tale may be completed. Do thou
therefore keep for thyself that which thou hast
gained. And remember to be such always as
thou hast shown thyself to-day, for he that
doeth such things will- in no wise repent himself
of them either now or in the time to come."

When he had said this, and had made good
his promises, he went on his way. And he
came to Colossae, a great city of Phrygia, where
the river Lycus entering a great gulf flows
for five furlongs under the earth, and from
Colossae to Cydrara, where King Croesus had
set up a pillar to mark the boundaries of Lydia.
After this he saw a plane-tree which was so
fair that for the sake of its beauty he gave it
ornaments of gold, and appointed one of the
Immortals to have the charge of it. So he
came to the city of Sardis.

OF THE SETTING FORTH OF XERXES. 95

Being arrived at this city he straightway sent
heralds to Greece who should ask for earth and
water, as tokens that they gave themselves and
their country to the King. To Athens indeed
and to Sparta he sent not, but to all other cities
he sent, for he thought that they who had
refused to give them on the sending of King
Darius would now give them for fear of his
host.

Now the cause why he sent not heralds to
Athens and Sparta was this, that these cities
had dealt evilly with the heralds which King
Darius had sent on this errand, the Athenians
throwing them down into the pit, which is the
place of punishment for such as are appointed
to die, and the Spartans casting them into a
well and bidding them take earth and water for
themselves. What ill thing befell the Athenians
by reason of their having dealt so unrighteously
with the heralds it is not possible to discern,
unless indeed it be that their city and country
were laid waste ; but for this laying waste
there was doubtless another cause. But on the
Spartans there came trouble from the wrath^ of
Talthybius, the same that was herald to King

96 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Agamemnon. (There is a temple of this Tal-
thybius in Sparta, and when there is any sending
of heralds from Sparta, his descendants, who are
called the sons of Talthybius, are sent.) After
the doing of this deed the Spartans found no
good tokens in their sacrifices. And when this
had been so for many days, the Spartans were
much troubled, and called many assemblies of
the people about this matter. At the last
they made proclamation enquiring whether any
Spartan were willing to die for his country.
Whereupon two men, Sperthias the son of
Aneristus, and Bulls the son of Nicolatis, nobles
both of them, and than whom there were none
more wealthy in Sparta, of their own free-will
offered themselves as an offering of atonement
to Xerxes, and the Spartans sent them to the
Persians as men that were doomed to die. In
their journey to Susa they came to Hydarnes.'
This Hydarnes was a Persian, and governor of
all them that dwelt on the sea-coast of Asia.
This man showed them hospitality ; and as they
sat at the banquet, he said to them, " Men of
Sparta, why are ye not willing to be friends
with the King ? Ye see that the King knows

OF THE SETTING FORTH OF XERXES. 97

how to honour good men, for consider me and
my fortune. And ye also, if you would give
yourselves to the King — for the King knows
that ye are good men — would be rulers of the
land of Greece by the King's favour." To
this the men answered, " Thy counsel, Hy-
dajnes, is not the counsel of one that knows
the whole matter. Thou knowest indeed what
it is to be a slave, but of freedom thou hast
never made trial, whether it be sweet or no.
Surely if thou hadst made such trial thou wouldst
counsel us to fight for it, not with the spear
only, but also with the battle-axe."

Such was the answer which the men made to
Hydarnes. After this they went unto Susa,
and came before the King. And when the
euards would have had them fall down before
the King and do obeisance, these two Spartans
refused. " We will not do it," said they ; " no,
not if ye thrust our heads down to the ground,
for it is not our custom to fall down before any
man, neither are we come hither for any such
thing." In this manner they escaped the doing
such obeisance. Afterwards they spake to the
King, saying, " King of the Medes, the Lace-

98 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

daemonians have sent us to make atonement
for thy heralds that were slain in Sparta." But
Xerxes, for greatness of heart, would not take
such atonement. " The Spartans," he said,
" when they do such things overthrow all law
and justice among men ; but I will not make
myself like unto them. I will neither do the
thing for the doing of which I reproach them,
nor will I loose them from their guilt by slaying
the men that they have sent to me."

By these means the anger of Talthybius was
stayed awhile, and this though Sperthias and
Bulls came back safe to Sparta. Nevertheless
many years afterwards it fell on the Spartans,
as they themselves say, in the great war that
was waged between them and the Athenians.
That this wrath should fall on envoys of the
Spartans, and should not cease till it was satis-
fied, seems to be just ; but that the men on
whom it fell should be children of these same
two that were sent to the King at Susa, this
is passing strange. Yet so it fell out. For
Nicolatis the son of Bulls, and Aneristus the
son of Sperthias, having been sent as ambas-
sadors to Asia, were betrayed by Sitalces, King

OF THE SETTING FORTH OF XERXES. 99

of Thrace, to the Athenians, and being carried
to Attica, there perished, and with them Aris-
teas of Corinth. These things came to pass
many years after the expedition of King
Xerxes.

When the messengers, then, had been sent
to the cities of the Greeks, the King prepared
to march to Abydos, purposing to pass over
thence into Europe.

THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER VIII.

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES.

While Xerxes tarried at Sardis, they that
were appointed to this business made a bridge
over the Hellespont, from Abydos to a certain
rocky land that runs out into the sea on the
other side, the space between being seven
furlongs. One line the Phoenicians made with
cables of white flax, and the other the Egyp-
tians, with cables of papyrus. But when the
work was finished there arose a great storm
and brake it all to pieces. So soon as Xerxes
heard what had befallen, he was very wroth,
and commanded that they should lay three
hundred lashes of the whip upon the Helles-
pont, and should also throw into the sea a
pair of fetters. It has been said that he even
sent branders to brand the Hellespont. Cer-
tainly he commanded them that laid the stripes
on the water to say therewith barbarous and

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES.

impious words : " O evil water, thy master
putteth this punishment on thee because thou
hast worked him harm that had worked no harm
to thee. Know that King Xerxes will cross
thee whether thou will or no. Rightly doth no
man offer sacrifice to thee, deceitful and salt
river as thou art." This punishment he bade
them put upon the sea, and he cut ' off the
heads of them that were set over the making of
the bridge. Then they that had this thankless
office put upon them fulfilled their task ; and
afterwards other builders set about the work
and accomplished it. They joined together
ships of war, three hundred and sixty on the
one side toward the Black Sea, and three
hundred and fourteen on the other, mooring
them with very great anchors that they might '
not be moved by the winds that blow either
way. And they left three spaces that such as
would pass by in light vessels, to or from the
Black Sea, might do so without let. And when
the bridge was finished, they made planks of
wood of the same breadth as was the bridge,
and laid them on the top ; and on the planks
they put brushwood, and on the brushwood

I02 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

earth ; and when they had trodden this down
they set up a barrier on either side, that the
beasts of burden and the horses might not be
afraid looking upon the sea.

But when, the bridge had been finished, and
the trench by Mount Athos, and the break-
water about the mouth of the trench — for they
had made breakwaters by reason of the surf,
that the mouth of the trench might not be
filled up — it was now winter. Xerxes there-
fore passed the winter in Sardis ; and when it
was spring the army set forth.

On the very day of its setting forth the sun
left its place in the heavens ; and though there
were no clouds, but the sky was at its clearest,
the day was turned into night. When Xerxes
saw this he was not a little troubled, and
asked the Magians what this sight might mean.
And the Magians made answer that the things
signified to the Greeks the leaving of their
cities ; for that the sun was the foreteller to
the Greeks and the moon to the Persians.
But when Pythius the Lydian saw this marvel
that had happened in the heavens, being
emboldened by the gifts that he made to the

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 103

King, he stood before Xerxes and said : " O
my lord, I pray thee that thou grant me a
certain thing which is of small account to
thee, but to me very much to be desired." And
Xerxes, not thinking what he had in his mind,
made answer, " Speak on, and I will do for thee
whatsoever thou desirest." When Pythius heard
these words he took courage and said, " O my
lord, I have five sons, and thou art taking them
all with thee for this war which thou makest
against the Greeks. Have pity, therefore, on
me, O King, remembering my old age, and
release from this service one of my sons, even
the eldest, that he may have me and my pos-
sessions in charge." When Xerxes heard this
he was very wroth, and made answer, " Vile
fellow, hast thou dared, even when I am myself
going against Greece, and bringing with me
my sons and my brethren, and my ministers and
friends, to make mention of thy sons, thou that
art my slave, and art bound to follow me with
thy whole household, and even with thy wife.
When thou didst well and madest to me offers
of good things, thou couldst not surpass the
King in bounty, and now that thou doest ill,

104 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

thou shalt have less than thy desert. Thy
hospitaHty shall save thee and four of thy sons ;
but the life of him whom thou lovest above the
rest is the forfeit." So soon as Xerxes had
said this, forthwith he gave command to
them that had the charge of such things to
search out the eldest of the sons of Pythius
and cut him in twain ; and when they had
cut him in twain to put the two halves one
on the right hand of the way and the other on
the left. And he bade the army pass between
the two. So the army passed between the two
halves. First came they that bare the baggage,
and the beasts of burden, and after them a
great army of many nations, without any space
between the nations, in all more than half of
the whole. Then there was left a space be-
tween the host and the King. Afterwards
there came a thousand horsemen, chosen out
of all the Persians, and after the horsemen a
thousand spearmen, these too being chosen
men, bearing their spear-points turned towards
the ground, and after the spearmen ten horses
of Nisa, having very fair trappings. These
horses came from the plain of Nisa in the

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 105

land of Media, and are very great. Behind
the horses came the sacred chariot of Zeus,
drawn by eight white horses, and after the
horses there walked the charioteer on foot,
holding the reins in his hand, for on the seat
of this chariot no man may sit. After this
came Xerxes himself, on a chariot drawn by
horses of Nisa, and by his side was a charioteer,
Patiramphes the son of Otanes. And when-
ever the wish took him he would change from
his chariot to a litter, Behind the ,King came
a thousand spearmen, the noblest and bravest
of the Persians, holding their spears in the
usual fashion ; and after these a thousand
chosen horsemen ; and after the horsemen
ten thousand chosen men on foot. A thousand
of these had golden pomegranates instead of
spikes at the shafts of their spears. These
compassed about the other nine thousand, who
had their spears with pomegranates of silver.
The spearmen that pointed their spears to the
ground had also pomegranates of gold, and
those that came next after the King had apples
of gold. After the ten thousand that were on
foot came ten thousand horsemen of the Per-

io6 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

sians. Behind the horsemen was a space of
two furlongs, after which came the remainder
of the host, mingled in one crowd.

As the host passed by Mount Ida there fell
upon it a great storm of thunder and lightning,
and slew many men. After this it came to the
river Scamander ; this was the first of the
rivers that failed, being drunk up by the army
and the horses and the beasts of burdens.
Herre the King went up into the citadel of
Priam, desiring to see the place ; and when he
had seen and heard everything he sacrificed a
thousand heifers to Athene of Troy ; and the
Magi poured out libations to the heroes. That
night a panic fell upon the host ; and so soon
as it was day they departed and came to
Abydos.

When he was come to Abydos Xerxes
greatly desired to see his army. Now there
had been prepared beforehand for him by the
men of .Abydos a seat of white marble on a
hill that was nigh unto the city, for so he had
bidden them. On this therefore he sat, and
looking down upon the shore saw his army and
his ships. And as he looked upon them he

OF THE MARCH OF XERXFS. 107

had a desire to see a race of ships ; and there
wa:s made a race, and the Phoenicians of Sidon
prevailed. Xerxes was greatly delighted with
the contest and with the sight of his army.
For when he saw all the Hellespont covered
with ships, and all the shores and all the plains
of Abydos filled with men, he counted himself
a happy man. But afterwards he wept.

And Artabanus, his uncle, the same that at
the first spake boldly to the King that he
should not make war against , the Greeks,
when he knew that Xerxes wept, went to him,
and said, " O King, how different is this that
thou doest now from that which thou didst
but a short time ago ! For then thou calledst
thyself happy, but now thou weepest." Then
said the King, " There came upon me of a
sudden a thought of pity how short is the
whole life of man, seeing that of all this great
army not one shall be alive one hundred years
hence." Then said Artabanus, "We men have
to endure in life things more piteous than this.
For in this life, for all its shortness, there is no
man so happy but that he will wish, and this
not once but many times, to die rather than

io8 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

to live. For misfortunes come upon us, and
diseases harass us, so that Hfe, though it be
short, yet seems to be overlong, and death, so
full of trouble is life, to be the best refuge to
which a man can fly. For the Gods that give
us a taste of the sweetness of life, yet are
jealous so that we may not enjoy it to the full."
To this Xerxes made answer, " Let us not so
think of human life, though it be such as thou
sayest, nor keep evil things in our minds when
we have good things in our hands. But come
now tell me, if thou hadst not seen that vision
wouldst thou have been still of the same
opinion, advising me that I should not make
war against the Greeks." Artabanus answered,
" O King, may the vision which we saw be
accomplished as we would have it. Yet am I
full of fear, seeing that there are two things,
and these the greatest of all, that are against
us." And the King said, "What are these
two? Thinkest thou that the Greeks will
bring against us more men or more ships ? "
Then said Artabanus, " No man that had any
understanding could find anything that he
might blame either in thy host or thy fleet.

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 109

Yet are two things against us, even the land and
the sea. For there is, I suppose, no harbour in
the sea so great that it could receive all this
great multitude of ships ; and yet we should
have not one harbour, but many, one after the
other, along the whole coast of the land.
Seeing then that such harbours are not to be
found, remember that chances are rulers of men
rather than men of chances. And if the sea
be hostile, much more is the land, and not the
less so if none seek to withstand thee, seeing
that the further thou shalt go the greater will
be the danger of famine. This I say thinking
it best for men to fear all things when they take
counsel, and to fear nothing when they are in
action."

Then said the King, " What thou sayest,
Artabanus, thou sayest not without reason.
Yet if a man will always look to all chances
that may happen he will never accomplish
great deeds. Thou seest to what greatness this
realm of Persia has grown. Yet if the kings
that were before me had followed such counsels
as thine it had never grown in such fashion.
Not without peril did they attain this glory, for

THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

great things are achieved by great dangers.
We therefore follow in their steps, and having
now set forth in the fairest season of the year,
will return safe, when we have subdued all
Europe ; neither shall we meet with famine nor
any evil thing whatsoever. For much food we
carry with us, and we shall have the food of
such nations as we shall subdue. And re-
member that it is against men that till the
earth and not against wanderers that we go."

To this Artabanus made answer, " At the
least, O King, hearken to one counsel which I
would give thee. Cyrus the son of Cambyses
subdued all the lonians, save the Athenians
only. I counsel thee, therefore, that thou do
not by any means compel these lonians to fight
against their fathers. Surely without them we
shall be stronger than our enemies. But if thou
compel them, then must they either do a great
wrong in fighting against the land that sent
them forth, or do a righteous act going over
from us to our enemies and thereby greatly
injuring us."

To this Xerxes answered, " There is nought,
Artabanus, in which thou hast gone further

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES.

from the truth than in this judgment of thine
concerning the lonians. Have we not a sure
proof of their truth — ra thing of which both
thou and all they that went with King Darius
against the Scythians are witnesses — that it was
in their hands to destroy the army of the
Persians or to save it alive. And they behaved
themselves righteously, and did nothing unjust.
And besides this, they have left their wives and
children in our land. Why then should they
think to rebel against us ? But be of good
heart ; and go, take charge of my house and
my kingdom. For to thee only of all the
Persians do I commit my sceptre."

So Xerxes sent Artabanus to Susa. And
when he was departed he called together the
noblest of the Persians, and said to them,
"Men of Persia, I have called you together
that I may bid you bear yourselves bravely,
and dp no shame to the deeds which the
Persians in former days have wrought, for
these have been great and worthy of renown.
Do ye therefore one and all be zealous in this
war, for we seek that which concerns us all.
And indeed I am told that they are good men

112 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

against whom we make war, and that if we
conquer them there are none on the earth who
can resist them. And now let us pray to the
gods that have rule over Persia, and pass over
the bridge."

So all that day they made preparations for
the passing over ; and the next day they
waited for the rising of the sun, desiring to see
it before they should begin to cross. And
when the sun was risen, Xerxes, pouring drink
offerings into the sea from a cup of gold, made
his prayer with his face turned to the sun, that
no misfortune might befall him before he
should conquer all Europe, even to the utter-
most borders. And when he had finished
praying, he cast the cup into the Hellespont,
and also a mixing bowl of gold, and a Persian
sword which they call a scimitar. But whether
he cast these things into the sea because he
would offer them to the sun, or whether he
repented him of having laid stripes upon the
Hellespont and gave these gifts in atonement
to the sea, cannot certainly be known.

CHAPTER IX.

HOW XERXES CROSSED OVER INTO EUROPE AND
OF HIS ARMY.

All things being now ready, the host of Xerxes
c,]fpssed over from Asia into Europe, the foot
soldiers and the horsemen going oyer the bridge
that was towards the Black Sea, and the
servants of the army and the beasts of burden
the bridge that was towards the ^gean. First
came the Ten Thousand, all of them wearing
crowns ; and after them came a mixed host
of all nations. These passed over on the first
day ; and on the next day passed over the
horsemen, and they that carried their spears
turned towards the ground. These also had
crowns on their heads. After these came the
sacred horses and the sacred chariot ; and next
to these Xerxes and the spearmen and the thou-
sand horsemen, and after these the rest of the
army. And all the ships sailed to the shore
over against Abydos.

9

114 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

When Xerxes had crossed over, he watched
his army crossing over under the lash, and this
they did without pause or rest for seven days
and seven nights. It is reported that when
Xerxes had passed over a man that dwelt in
these parts cried out, " O- Zeus, why art thou
come in the likeness of a Persian, and calling
thyself Xerxes and not Zeus, with the whole
race of men following thee, to destroy the
Greeks, when thou couldst have destroyed them
without so doing ? "

When they had all crossed over there hap-
pened a great marvel, of which Xerxes took no
account, though indeed it was easy to under-
stand. The marvel was this, that a mare
brought forth a hare. And what was to be
understood from it was this — that Xerxes was
leading against the Greeks a great host and
splendidly equipped, and yet before many days
he would come again to the same place as one
that fled for life.

Then Xerxes went on his way, the fleet
sailing along by the coast. And when he came
to Doriscus, he had a desire to know the
number of his army. What indeed were the

OF XERXES AND HIS ARMY.

IIS

numbers of the several nations cannot be
said ; but the number of the whole host was
found to be a thousand thousand and seven
hundred thousands. These were numbered in
a way that shall now be told. They brought
ten ' thousand men into one place ; these they
placed together as closely as they could, and
having done this, they drew a circle about them ;
and when they had done this circle and let the
ten thousand go, they made a heap about the
circle, so high as the middle of a man. When
they had so done they brought others into the
place that was thus hedged about till they had
filled it. When they had numbered the host
they set it in order nation by nation.

These nations were many in number. First
of all were the Persians, wearing turbans on
their heads and about their bodies tunics with
sleeves of divers colours, having iron scales like
to the scales of a fish. On their legs they had
trews, and their shields were of wicker. For
arms they had short spears and long bows and
arrows of reed; also they had daggers hanging
from their girdles by the right thigh. The
Medes were accoutred in the same way ; and

ii6 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

indeed this fashion of armour is Median rather
than Persian. i .,

The Assyrians had helmets of brass, wrought
in a strange fashion. These had shields and
spears and daggers like to the Egyptians ; and
besides they had clubs of wood with knots of
iron and linen corslets.

The Scythians had trews. These carried
bows and daggers, and battle-axes also. The
Indians were clad in cotton, with bows of cane,
and arrows also of cane pointed with iron. As
for the Arabians they had long cloaks bound
about the waist with girdles, and at their right
side th ey carried bows bending backwards. They
that came from Ethiopia were clad in skins of
panthers and lions. Their bows were of the
stems of palm leaves, four cubits and more
in length ; their arrows were small and of reed,
having heads of stone for iron. (This same stone
is used for engraving of seals.) They had
spears also, with the horns of antelopes made
sharp for spear-heads, and knotted clubs alsd.
When they were about to go into battle they
would paint the one half of their bodies with
chalk and the other with vermilion. There

OF XERXES AND HIS ARMY. 1 17

were also Eastern Ethiopians (these had straight
hair, while they of the West had hair more
woolly than the hair of other men) equipped
like to the others, but having the scalps of
horses on their heads. These they flay off
with the ears and mane. The ears stand up-
right and the mane is for a crest. For shields
ithey have bucklers made of the skins of
cranes.

Many nations came from the Lower Asia, as
Phrygians and Paphlagonians, and Lydians,
these last being clad and armed very much in
Greek fashion. There were also Mysians (who
in old time came forth from Lydia, but then
dwelt in the Mysian Olympus). These had
helmets and bucklers and staves of wood with
one end hardened in the fire. Also the Bithy-
nians came from this land, having before dwelt
about the Strymon in Thrace. These had skins
of foxes on their heads, and tunics with long
cloaks of many colours about their bodies, and
buskins of fawn skins about their legs and feet ;
and for arms javelins and light shields and
short daggers.

From these and many other nations of

ii8 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Asia and of Africa came the footmen of the
host. They had captains of tens and of hun-
dreds and of thousands and of ten thousands;
and over all six generals, Mardonius, Trltan-
taechmes, son of Artabanus, Megabyzus, son
of Zopyrus, the same that took the city of
Babylon for King Darius, and three others.

These six commanded all the footmen save
only the Ten Thousand. These Ten Thousand
were Persians all of them, chosen men. These
Hydarnes led, and they were called the Im-
mortals, because if any man among them die or
fall sick, straightway another is chosen into his
place, so that they are ten thousand always,
neither more nor less. Of all the host the
Persians were the bravest and most splendidly
equipped.

The horsemen came from many nations.
Among these were the Sagartians, a wandering
people. These are wont to have no arms either of
iron or bronze, save only a dirk. But they have
lassoes of leathern thongs, and trust to these.
They fight in this fashion. When they go into
battle, they cast their lassoes having nooses at
the end ; and that which is entangled in the

OF XERXES AND HIS ARMY. 119

noose they draw towards them, be it man or
horse, and slay it.

i (Of the Indians some rode in chariots drawn
by wild asses. The Arabians rode on camels
that were not less swift than horses.. These
were set last in order because the horses could
not endure the sight of the camels. ' Of horse-
men there were in all eighty thousand.

The number of the ships of war was one thou-
sand and two hundred and seven. Of these the
Phoenicians furnished three hundred and the
Egyptians two hundred, and the men of Cyprus
one hundred and fifty, and the men of Cilicia
one hundred. The lonians and the -Cohans
and the Greeks that dwelt about the Hellespont
and the Black Sea furnished two hundred and
sixty and seven. And on all the ships there
werer|fighting men, Persians and Medes and
Sacse. The best of all the ships were the
Phcenician, and of the Phoenician ships the best
they that came from Sidon.

As to the names of them that commanded
the ships, there is no need to tell them. For
indeed! they were not commanders but slaves,
even as the others. But the Persians that com-

120 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

manded were Ariabignes son of Darius, and
Megabazus, with two others. Of smaller ships
and transports and the like there were three
thousand in all.

One of the generals must needs be mentioned,
namely Artemisia, the daughter of Lygdamis,.
She, her husband being dead and her son but a
lad, had the lordship of her city, even Halickr-
nassus ; and she went with Xerxes agajist
Greece, not of necessity, but of her own ftee
will, so valiant was she and of so manlike a
spirit. She furnished five ships to the King,
and in all the fleet there were none better, slve
only those of the Sidonians ; nor was there /bne
of the allies that gave better counsel to the King
than did this Artemisia.

When Xerxes had numbered the host ard the
fleet, and had set them in order, it seemec^good
to him to go through them and see them for him-
self. This therefore he did. First he rode on
a chariot, driving from nation to natioji, and
enquiring about each many things ; and there
followed scribes, who wrote down that whch was
answered. This he did till he came to tie very
end of the footmen and of the horsemen, After

OF XERXES AND HIS ARMY. 121

this he left his chariot and embarked on a ship
of I Sidon, and sitting under a tent of gold
sailed along by the prows of the ships, these all
having been launched and being drawn up about
four hundred feet from the shore, and the fight-
ing men upon them, some ready armed as for
battle. The King sailed between the ships
and the shore ; and the scribes followed him
and wrote as before.

When he had ended these things he sent for
Demaratus the son of Ariston, that had been
King in Sparta, and had been banished thence,
and asked him, saying, " Demaratus, it is my
pleasure to ask thee a certain question. Thou
art a Greek ; and, as I hear from thee and
from other of thy people, thou comest of a city
that is by no means the least or weakest in the
land of Greece. Tell me, then, will the Greeks
abide our coming, and lift a hand against us ?
For, as it seems to me, not all the Greeks,
nor all the barbarians of the west, if they
were gathered together, could stand up against
me when I come against them, if they were
not of one mind. But tell me what thinkest
thou ? "

122 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Then said Demaratus, " Shall I answer thee
that which is true or that which is pleasant ? "

The King said, " Speak that which is true.
It shall not be the worse for thee."

When Demaratus heard this, he said, "
King, thou biddest me speak the truth, so that
I may not be found hereafter to have lied unto
thee. With us Greeks poverty is born and
bred ; and we have gotten for ourselves valour
by help of wisdom and law, and by valour we
keep ourselves both from poverty and from
servitude. Now that which I am about to say
regards the Spartans only, though indeed I
honour all the Greeks that dwell in the Dorian
country. Know then, in the first place, that
the Spartans will receive no conditions from
thee that shall bring slavery upon Greece ; and
in the second, that they will surely come forth
to meet thee in battle, yea, though all the
Greeks besides be on thy side. But as to their
number there is no need to enquire ; for if there
be a thousand that shall march out to battle, or
if there be more or less, these will surely fight."

When Xerxes heard this he laughed, and said,
" What is this that thou hast said, Demaratus }

OF XERXES AND HIS ARMY. 121

Shall a thousand men fight with a whole army ?
Tell me now. Thou hast been, thou sayest,
King of these Spartans. Wilt thou then forth-
with fight singly with ten men ? Yet if all thy
nation be such as thou sayest, thou being their
King shouldst, according to your custom, con-
tend against as many again ; so that if a common
man be a match for ten men of my army thou
shouldst be a match for twenty. But if they that
so boast themselves are no bigger or stronger
than the Greeks that I have seen, thyself, to
wit, and others, then is this ta:lk but empty
words. Consider now the likelihood of the
thing. How could a thousand, or ten thousand,
or even fifty thousand, stand up against such an
army, the more so if they be free and not under
the rule of one man .'' For say that there be
five thousand of them, yet shall we have more
than a thousand to one. If indeed they were
under the rule of one man after our fashion,
then might they for fear of him be valiant even
beyond their nature, and fight few against
many, being driven thereto by the lash. But
being free, and left to choose, they will do
neither the one nor the other. I verily believe

124 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

that Greeks could scarce stand up in battle
against Persians, the number being equal. But
as to this, that one man can fight against many,
we have indeed a few such in our army, but a
few only, for some of my spearmen would not
refuse to fight one man against three Greeks.
But about this thou knowest nothing, and so
talkest idly."

To this Demaratus made answer, " O King,
I knew at the beginning that if I should speak
the truth I should not please thee. But the
truth thou wouldst have me speak ; therefore I
told thee the things that concerned the Spartans.
And yet I love them not, as thou knowest very
well, seeing that they took from me the place
and dignity that came to me from my father,
and drave me out into banishment, whereas thy
father Darius received me and gave me suste-
nance and a home to dwell in ; and it is not to
be believed that a wise man would scorn such
kindness, but rather that he would cherish it in
his heart. For myself I engage not to fight
with ten men, nor yet with two, nor indeed
would I willingly fight with one; yet if there
should be any necessity or great cause, I would

OF XERXES AND HIS ARMY. 125

gladly fight with any of the men who say they
are a match for three Greeks. And as for the
Spartans, when, they fight singly they are
as good as any men in the world ; and when
they fight together they are better than any.
For though they be free, yet are they not wholly
free. For they have a master over them, even
Law, whom they fear more than thy people fear
thee. Whatsoever this master commands, that
they do. And he commands them that they
turn not their backs in battle, how many soever
be their enemies, but abide in their place, and
conquer or die. If thou thinkest that these
things that I say are naught, then will I hold
my peace hereafter. Howbeit, I pray that all
things may be as thou wouldst have them, O
King."

This was the answer of Demaratus. And
the King laughed, and sent him away in peace.

126 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER X.

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES.

Xerxes made Mascames governor of the fort of
Doriscus. This man he esteemed very highly,
sending him gifts every year ; and Artaxerxes
after him sent gifts to the children of Mascames.
Nor indeed was any of the Persian governors
held in greater honour, save Boges only. This
Boges was besieged in Eion that is on the
river Strymon by Cimon and the Athenians.
And though he might have made an agreement
with them and come out from Eion and returned
safe to Asia, he would not, lest he should seem
to the King to have failed in valour, but held
out to the last. And when there was no food
remaining in the fort, he caused a great pile of
wood to be built, and slew his children and his
wife and his concubines and his slaves, and
cast them into the fire. After this he threw all
the gold and silver that was in the fort into

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 127

the river ; and last of all he cast himself into
the fire. With good cause therefore do the
Persians honour him to this day.

Then Xerxes went on his way from Doriscus
westward ; and whomsoever he found he com-
pelled to take service with him. The road
by which he went the Thracians in after time
held in great honour, and did not plough it or
sow it.

When the King came to Acanthus that is by
Mount Athos, and saw what had been done
with the trench, and knew that the people of
Acanthus had been verv zealous in the work,
he sent them a Persian dress for a gift, and
praised them much. While he tarried here
Artachaees, a Persian, and of the royal house,
who had been set over the digging of the
trench, fell sick and died. He excelled in
stature all the Persians, being but five fingers
short of five cubits of the royal measure, and
his voice surpassed that of other men. Where-
fore the King was much troubled at his death,
and buried him with great honour, and all the
host made a mound over his grave. After-
wards the people of Acanthus sacrificed to this

128 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

man as to a hero, being bidden so to do by an
oracle.

As for the Greeks that fed the army and
entertained Xerxes, they were brought to great
poverty, so that many of them were driven to
forsake their homes. For when the people of
Thasos, having possessions on the mainland,
were commanded so to entertain the army of
Xerxes, a certain Antipater, one of the chiefest
of the citizens, having the charge of the matter,
showed that there were expended on the meal
four hundred talents of silver. In other cities
also they that had this charge made the same
reckoning. And indeed this entertainment was
ordered many days beforehand, and was a matter
of no small preparation. The manner of it was
this. So soon as they received the command-
ment from the heralds that were sent to give
them warning, then the citizens set about grind-
ing wheat and barley. This they did for many
months. Also they fatted beasts, finding the
best that they could buy ; and they reared birds,
both land-birds and water-birds, in buildings
and ponds for the entertaining of the army.
Also they prepared cups and bowls of gold and

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 129

silver and all other things for the furniture of
the table. This indeed they did for the King
and for them that sat at meat with him only ;
but for the rest' of the army they made ready
only such food as had been commanded. For
Xerxes a tent was made ready wherein he might
lodge ; but the rest of the army lodged without
shelter. So soon as the time of eating came
they that entertained had great toil and trouble ;
and the soldiers ate their fill and stayed that
night in the same place. The next day they
tare down the tent and took all the furniture,
leaving nothing, but carrying all away with them.
Well therefore did Megacreon of Abdera speak
when he counselled the men of Abdera to go
with their wives and children to the temples,
and after putting up prayers for the time to
come, thank the Gods that it was not the plea-
sure of King Xerxes to have two meals in the
day, for that verily if he had desired not only
dinner but breakfast also, then must the people
of Abdera have either fled from before the King
or, awaiting his coming, have been utterly ruined.
At this town of Acanthus Xerxes commanded
the fleet that it should sail through the trench

I30 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

by Mount Athos and should await his coming at
Therma ; but he himself led his army through
the land of Peeonia. Here the camels that
carried the victuals for the host were set upon
by lions, which coming by night from their dens
touched neither man nor beast but the camels
only ; but what it was that drave them to this,
considering that they had never before seen
the beast, or made any trial of it, no man can
say. There are many Hons in this country,
and wild oxen also with very long horns, which
are brought into Greece. So Xerxes came to
Therma ; and being at Therma he saw the two
mountains Olympus and Ossa, which are indeed
marvellously high. And when he heard that
there was between these mountains a narrow
pass through which ran a river, and that this
was the road into Thessaly, he conceived a desire
to go on shipboard and see the place where the
river flowed into the sea. Wherefore he em-
barked on a ship of Sidon, the same that he
was wont to use when he would go on such a
journey, and gave the signal for the others to
set sail also. And when he came to the place,
he marvelled much at the outflow of the rivers,

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 131

and calling to him the guide would fain know
whether it were possible to bring the river into
the sea by any other way.

Men say that in old time Thessaly was a great
lake, being shut in on every side by high moun-
tains. And indeed towards the east Ossa and
Pelion are joineid together at the base, and on
the north is Olympus, and on the west Pindus,
and on the south Othrys. In this land there
are many rivers which all make their way into
the sea by one channel, even the Peneus. But
they say that in old time this channel was not,
but that afterwards Poseidon made it; which may
well be if Poseidon brings earthquakes to pass,
and if chasms are his handywork. For it is
manifest that the hills have been torn asunder
by an earthquake. When therefore Xerxes
asked the guides whether the water could pass
by any other outlet into the sea, the men, as
knowing the nature of the place, made answer,
" There is no other way, O King, by which this
water can pass into the sea save this which thou
now seest ; for Thessaly is girded about with
hills."

Then said Xerxes, " The men of Thessaly are

132 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

wise. Good reason had they to change their
minds in time and to make provision for their
safety. For, not to speak of other things, they
knew that they dwelt in a land which it was
easy to subdue. For nothing was needed save
to turn the river upon their lands, building up a
mound in this channel, and so turning the stream
from its course. So would all Thessaly be
changed into a lake."

When the King said this he thought of the
sons of Aleuas, who had made their submission
to him first of all the Greeks, being Thessalians.
And he thought that they had done this in the
name of the whole people. After this the King
went back to Therma. And here there came
to him the heralds whom he had sent to the
Greek cities demanding earth and water, some
being empty-handed and some carrying that for
which they had been sent. Many nations gave
earth and w^ter, as the Thessalians and the
Locrians and the Boeotians ; only the men of
Platsa and Thespiae, that are towns of the
Boeotians, gave them not. Against all such
the Greeks that stood up against the barbarians
sware this oath : " From all people who being

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 133

Greeks have given themselves up to the Per-
sians, without necessity compeUing, we will take
a tithe of their goods, and offer it to -the god at
Delphi."

Now it must be remembered that Xerxes,
though he said that he was marching against
Athens, had it in his mind to subdue all Greece.
And this the Greeks knew beforehand, though
indeed they did not all regard the matter in the
same way. For some had no fear of the bar-
barians, as having given them earth and water,
and thinking therefore that they should receive
from them no harm ; but others, having not
given these things, were in great fear. For
whereas they thought that all the ships in
Greece were not enough to meet the Persians,
so also they knew that the greater part of the
cities would take no part in, the war, but greatly
favoured the enemy.

And here must be said a thing which because
it is true ought to be said, though most men will
mislike it. If the Athenians, for fear of the
danger that was coming upon them, had left
their country, or, not leaving it, had submitted
themselves to Xerxes, then certainly none would

134 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

have sought to withstand the Persians by sea ;
and if none had withstood the Persians by sea,
then there "would have come to pass on the land
what shall now be set forth. Though many
breastworks had been built across the Isthmus,
yet would the Lacedaemonians have been be-
trayed by their allies ; not of their free "will
indeed, but because their cities would have been
taken, one after the other, by the fleet of the
barbarians. So would they' in the end have
been left alone, and being so left alone, after
many deeds of valour, would have perished with
great glory. Or if not, then seeing beforehand
that all the other Greeks were submitting them-
selves to the Persians, they also would have
made an agreement with Xerxes. So, in either
case, would Greece have been made subject to
the barbarians. For what would have been the
profit of walls built across the Isthmus while the
King had the mastery by sea .'' If a man then
should say that in truth the Athenians were
the saviours of Greece, he would speak truly ;
for to whichever side they had inclined that
would have been the weightier. And they,
having a fixed purpose that Greece should be

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 135

free, stirred up all the nations that had not sub-
mitted themselves to the Persians, and so, next
to the Gods, drave back the enemy.
; And this they did though they were sorely
tefrifipd by the oracle. For when they sent
messengers to enquire of the god at Delphi,
and these had offered sacrifice after the cus-
tom, and were now come into the shrine, the
priestess gave to them this answer. (The name
of the priestess was Aristonice.)

" Why sit ye still ? Fly, wretched race.
To earth's far bounds the fatal place.
Fly hearth and home and craggy hill,

Round which the wheel-like city stands ;
Through all her being fares she ill^

Body, and head, and feet, and hands.
The fire consumes them, and from far,
Wild Ares derives his Syrian car.
Full many a tower; both fair and tall.
Not thine alone, before him fall ;
Full many a holy place and shrine

The fire's devouring flames shall seize ;
Cold stands the sweat on face divine,

And shake with fear the trembling knees ;
From high-pitched roof the blood-drops fall.

Fell signs of storm and- coming woe ;
Leave, suppliant band, Apollo's hall.

Prepare you for the fate ye know."

When the messengers from Athens heard

136 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

these words they were greatly troubled. But
Timon the son of Androbulus, a chief man
among the citizens of Delphi, seeing how
utterly cast down they were by the evil that
was prophesied concerning their country,
counselled them that they should take tokens
of suppliants in their hands, and in this guise
go and enquire of the oracle once more. This
then the Athenians did, and spake, saying,
" O King, prophesy unto us some better thing
about our country, having regard to these
tokens of suppliants which we bring into thy
presence. Else will we not depart from thy
sanctuary, but will abide here till the day of
our death." Then the priestess prophesied to
them a second time, using these words :

" Pallas desires with deep desire
To change the purpose of her sire,
Again entreats him, and again ;
But vain her prayers, her counsel vain.
Yet, sons of Athens, hear once more
The firm, unyielding word of fate :
Whene'er the fair Cecropian state,
From bound to bound and shore to shore
Before the foeman's might shall bow.
One boon will Zeus All-wise allow
To Pallas' prayer — that ne'er shall fall

OF THE MARCH OF XERXES. 137

J Fair Athens' stay, her wooden wall :

Think not to wait that evil hour
Horsemen or footmen's dark array ;
■ Fly, fly their host ; yet comes the hour

Ye stand to meet the foemen's power.
Thou, holy Salamis, shalt bring
Dark death to sons of women born,
' Or when abroad the seed they fling,

Or when they pluck the ripened corn."

These words seemed to be, as indeed they
were, milder than the former words. So the
envoys wrote them down, and returned with
them to Athens.

138 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

.CHAPTER XI.

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS.

When the messengeirs told the words that
they had heard and written down to the
people, there were many and various opinions
among those who sought to interpret the oracle.
Some of the older men said that it seemed to
them that the god bade them fortify the citadel,
for that in old time the citadel of Athens had
been surrounded with a fence. And this fence
they supposed to be the " wooden' wall." And
there were others that said the " wooden wall "
signified their ships ; but these were confounded
by the last words of the oracle :

" Thou, holy Salamis, shalt bring

Dark death to sons of women born,
Or when abroad the seed they fling.
Or when they pluck the ripened corn."

These words troubled them much, for the

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS. 139

readers of oracles declared that it was clgnified
by them that they should fight in ships and
be worsted at Salamis.

Now there was at Athens a certain man
that was but newly risen into the front rank
of the citizens. This was Themistocles the
son of Neocles. He then coming forward
affirmed that the oracle-readers did not read
the words aright, for that, if they had been
really spoken concerning the Athenians, the
god would have said, " Sad Salamis," rather
than " Holy Salamis," it being decreed that
the dwellers in the land should die there. It
was manifest therefore, he said, to one that
interpreted the words aright that they were
spoken concerning the barbarians, and not
concerning the Athenians. Wherefore he ad-
vised his fellow citizens that they should make
ready to fight in ships, for that these were
their " wooden wall." When Themistocles
had set forth these opinions, the Athenians
judged them to be belter than the opinions of
the oracle - readers. For these would have
hindered them from fighting in ships, yea,
from so much as lifting up their hands against

I40 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

the enemy, and would have had them leave their
country, and find some other wherein to dwell.
Before this, another counsel of this same
Themistocles had been given excellently in
season. It so chanced that the Athenians had
much money in their public treasury, having
received it from their mines at Laurium.
This they were about to divide among the
citizens, man by man, so that each should have
ten drachmae ; but Themistocles persuaded the
Athenians that this division should not be
made, but that they should use the money for
the building of two hundred ships for the war
that they had on hand, that is to say, the war
against .^gina. This war indeed it was that
was the saving of Greece, for it compelled the
Athenians to become seafaring men. As for
the two hundred ships, they were not used
for the end for the which they were made ;
but they were a help to Greece when she
most needed them. So many ships had the
Athenians ready before the war ; and they
began to build others. And now, after hear-
ing the oracle and consulting thereupon, they
judged it well to put their whole force on ship-

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS. 141

board, even as the god commanded them ; and
so, together with such of the Greeks as were
of the same mind, to give battle to the
barbarians.

So soon as the Greeks that followed the
good cause, even the cause of Greece, were
assembled together, they took counsel and
pledged their faith one to the other. This
being done, they agreed in this, that, first of
all, a,ll feuds that there were of nation against
nation should be appeased. Many such there
were ; but the greatest of all was that between
the men of Athens and the men of ^Egina.
Afterwards, when they knew that King Xerxes
had come down to Sardis with his host, they
thought it good to send spies to see how
matters stood with the King in Asia ; also they
sent ambassadors, some to Argos, to make' an
alliance against the Persians ; and others to
Sicily, to Geldn, lord of Syracuse ; and to
Corcyra, to ask for help ; and others again
to Crete. For they desired to bind together
into one all that bare the Greek name, so that
they might strive with one heart against him
that was the enemy of all. Now the power of

142 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Syracuse was said to be greater than the power
of any other city among the Greeks.

When they had thus taken counsel together,
and had caused all such as were at enmity to be
reconciled, they sent three men into Asia to be
spies. These came to Sardis and learnt what
was to be known about the King's army. But
being discovered, they were questioned by the
generals and condemned to die. But when
Xerxes heard this he blamed the purpose of
the generals, and sent some of his own spear-
men, commanding that if they found the spies
yet alive they should bring them into his pre-
sence. So the spearmen went, and finding them
yet alive brought them into the presence of the
King. And when the King saw them, he en-
quired of them wherefore they had come ; and
afterwards commanded the spearmen that they
should show them the whole army, both horse
and foot, and all the power of the King, and
that when the men had had their fill of
this sight, they should send them away unhurt
whithersoever they would. And the cause, he
said, why he gave this commandment about the
spies was this. If these spies be put to death,

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS. 143

the Greeks will not know that my power is
greater by far than all that they have heard,
nor shall we harm them much slaying three of
their men. But if these spies return to Greece,
then will the Greeks hear the truth about this
my host, and of their own free will they will
give themselves to us and surrender their free-
dom, and we shall be spared the trouble of this
great business. At another time also Xerxes
spake much in the same fashion. When he was
in Abydos he saw three corn ships coming from
the Black Sea and sailing down the Hellespont,
carrying wheat to ^gina and the Peloponnesus.
And they that sat by him when they knew that
the ships belonged to the enemy had thought
of taking them, and. looked to the King that he
should give the word. Then said Xerxes,
" Whither do these ships sail ? " And the men
answered, " To thy enemies, O King, carrying
corn to them." Then the King said, " And are
we not also sailing to the same place, taking
with us corn as well as many other things ?
What wrong therefore do these men carrying
food for us } " So it came to pass that the
spies returned safe to Greece.

144 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

After this the Greeks sent messengers to
divers cities, asking help. First they sent them
to Argos. Now the Argives had been warned
by an oracle that they should sit quiet, being
indeed greatly weakened by that which they had
suffered at the hands of the Spartans, for these,
under King Cleomenes, had slain six thousand
citizens. Nevertheless they bade the messengers
come into their council chamber and declare
their message. And when they had heard it
they answered, " We will help you if the Spar-
tans will give us a truce for thirty years, and
will also divide with us the command of the army.
This indeed we should by rights have alto-
gether, but we will divide it with Sparta." The
truce they asked that, their children having
grown to man's estate, they might be able to
make head against Sparta, if need should be.
The Spartans answered, " As for the truce, we
will bring the matter before the people, but the
leadership we cannot divide as ye would have
it. For we have two kings and ye only one.
But your King shall have one vote." This the
Argives could not endure. Whereupon they
said to the messengers, " Depart out of our

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS. 145

borders before the sun be set, or we will deal
with you as with enemies."

This is the story of the Arglves, but the
other Greeks afHrm that Xerxes sent a mes-
senger to them, saying, "We Persians are your
kinsmen, for Perses, who is our father, was son
to Perseus that was the son of Danae, that was
the daughter of Acrisius your King. Where-
fore neither should we 'fight against you, nor ye
against us. Do ye therefore keep quiet, and
there shall be none whom we will honour more
than you." With this message the Argives
were greatly pleased ; and they asked for a
share in the leadership for a pretence only, as
knowing that the Spartans would not yield it.

Many years after it chanced that while cer-
tain ambassadors from Athens were at Susa,
there came up also an embassy from Argos,
who enquired of King Artaxerxes, that was
son to Xerxes, " Does the friendship that
Xerxes thy father made with us still remain, or
dost thou count us as enemies ? " To this
Artaxerxes answered that the friendship re-
mained, and that he held no city dearer to him
than Argos.

146 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

The truth of these matters cannot certainly
be known. Yet so much may be affirmed with-
out doubt, that if all men were to bring their
own misdeeds into one place, as wishing to
exchange them for the misdeeds of their neigh-
bours, when they came to look close into the
misdeeds of their neighbours, they would be
right glad to carry back their own.

Other messengers, among whom was one
Syagrus of Sparta, were sent to speak with
Gelon, lord of Syracuse. These, when they
were come into his presence, spake, saying,
" The Spartans and the Athenians and their
allies have sent us to tell thee that the Persians
are marching into Europe, giving out indeed
that they make war upon Athens only, but
purposing to subdue the whole land of Greece.
Do thou therefore— for thou hast great power,
being lord of Sicily — help us that we may keep
our freedom. And be sure that if thou suffer
us to perish these barbarians will fall next upon
thee, and that if thou helpest us thou helpest
thyself" To this Gelon made answer, " Men
of Greece, ye think only of yourselves when ye
ask my help against the Persians. Did ye help

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS. 147

me when I would have had you for my allies
against the Carthaginians ? Nevertheless I
will not render evil for evil, but will help you,
sending two hundred ships, and twenty thou-
sand footmen, and two thousand horsemen, and
archers and slingers and light horsemen, of
each two thousand. Also I will -promise meat
for the whole host of the forces so long as the
war shall continue. Only ye must make me
commander."

Therefore Syagrus the Spartan burst forth,
" Surely now Agamemnon son of Pelops would
groan to hear that Gelon and the men of
Syracuse had taken the leadership from
Sparta. If thou wilt help the Greeks, O King,
know that thou must follow the leading of the
Spartans."

Then said Gelon, "For all thy evil words,
man of Sparta, thou shalt not persuade me to
answer thee evil. Yet if ye put such store by
this command, how much more should I that
can bring with me so great. an army ! • Howbeit
I^will yield to you so much as this. If ye will
take the rule of the army, then will I command
the ships ; or, if ye choose the ships, yield thq

148 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

army to me. But if this please you not, then
ye must depart without my aUiance."

Then said the ambassador from Athens,
making haste before the Spartan could speak,
" The Greeks have sent me, O King, to ask not
for a leader, but for an army ; but thou sayest
little of an army, but art over eager for the
leadership. As to the army we were willing
that the Spartan should answer ; but as to the
fleet, hear this. If the Spartans will have the
command, we yield it to them ; but if not, then
it comes to us, and we give it to no man. For
why should we yield, who are the most ancient
nation of all the Greeks, and of whom came the
most skilful to order an army of all the chief-
tains that fought against Troy ? "

Then said Gelon, " Man of Athens, ye seem
to have commanders more than enough, but of
them that should be commanded a few only.
Go ye back then to Greece with all haste, and
say that she has lost the spring out of the
year." For he likened himself and his power
to the spring, which is the best season of the
year.

When the Greeks had departed, Gelon sent

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS. 149

three small ships, and with them one Cadmus,
who should watch the issue of the war. And
the man had with him many gifts and earth and
water. These Gelon commanded him to give
to King Xerxes if he should get the tipper hand,
and if not, to bring back again. This Cadmus
had received the lordship of Cos from his
father, yet for love of right and justice gave it
up to the people. And in this matter also he
showed himself to be a righteous man ; for
when the Greeks had prevailed, and Xerxes
had departed, he kept not the gifts, as he
might have done, but carried them back to
Gelon.

Nevertheless some say that, notwithstanding
the matter of the leadership, Gelon would have
helped the Greeks, but that there came to Sicily
about this time a great army of Phoenicians and
Libyans and Sardinians under Hamilcar, King
of Carthage. They say also that he conquered
this army on the very same day on which the
Greeks conquered the Persians at Salamis.

Envoys went also to the Corcyreans, who
spake them fair, saying that they would send
sixty ships. But these ships were long delayed ;

ISO THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN IVAR.

and after they had set forth, they lingered about
the coast of the Peloponnese, waiting for the
end, even as did Gelon. But when the Greeks
reproached them, the Corcyreans answered that
the Etesian winds had not suffered them to round
Cape Malea.

The Cretans enquired of the god of Delphi
whether they should help the Greeks ; and the
god answered them, " Do ye not remember, ye
fools, how that Minos was wroth with your
nation because ye went to help the Greeks
against Troy, because forsooth a barbarian had
carried off a woman from Sparta, yet cared not
to avenge him when he perished at Camicus ? "
Wherefore the men of Crete sat still.

While these things were being done the men
of Thessaly sent to the Greeks, saying, " Come
ye and guard the pass of Olympus, so shall
ye preserve both our country and the rest of
Greece also. But if ye will not, then must we
yield to the Persians, lest we be left alone and
so perish on your behalf."

Then the Greeks sent an army, even ten
thousand men at arms, to the Pass of Olympus.
But when they had been there a few days only

OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE GREEKS. 151

there came messengers from Alexander, King of
Macedon, saying, " Depart from this place lest
ye be trampled underfoot by your enemies."
And he told them of the number of the army
and of the ships. So the Greeks departed and
returned to the Isthmus ; and having taken
counsel again, they determined to send an army
to Thermopylae, which is the Pass from
Thessaly into Greece. And the fleet they
sent to Artemisium, which is in the island of
Euboea. As for the Pass it is but fifty feet
wide, and westward there is a high mountain
which no man can climb, but to the eastward is
the sea and the marshes of the river Peneus.
And across this Pass there had been built a
wall in old time. The Phocians built it for
fear of the men of Thessaly. And now the
Greeks repaired the breaches, for it was broken
down.

In the meanwhile the men of Delphi enquired
of the god what they should do, being in great
fear of the barbarians. And the god said to
them that they should pray to the winds. To
the Athenians also there came an oracle that
they should seek help from their son-in-law.

i52 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Now their son-in-law was Boreas, the north-
wind ; for Boreas, being a prince of Thrace,
took to wife, as say the Greeks, Orithyia, the
daughter of Erechtheus, that was King of
Athens.

CHAPTER XII.

OF THE ARMY AND THE SHIPS OF XERXES, AND
OF THE FIRST FIGHTING WITH THE GREEKS.

King Xerxes brought with him from Asia
twelve hundred and seven great ships ; and in
each ship there were two hundred rowers and
thirty fighting men. Also he had of smaller
ships, having fifty oars or under, three thousand,
and in each of these, taking one with another,
there were eighty men. Therefore the whole
number of the men that served on the ships
was five hundred and seventeen thousand and six
hundred. Of foot soldiers there were seven-
teen hundred thousand, and of horsemen eighty
thousand, and of Arabs riding on camels and
of Libyans that fought from chariots twenty
thousand. There were also one hundred and
twenty ships of Greeks that dwelt in Thrace
and in the islands thereof, and in these twenty
and four thousand men. To these must be

154 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

added foot soldiers of the Thracians, the Paeo-
nians, the Macedonians, and others. And the
sum of the whole was two million six hundred
and forty-one thousand six hundred and ten.
And of all this great host there was none fitter
to be the ruler for beauty and great stature than
King Xerxes himself Of those that followed
the camp, and of the crews of the provision
ships and other vessels of transport, the num-
ber was more rather than less the number of
the fighting men. As for the women that
ground the corn,. and others that came with the
army, and the horses, and the beasts of burden^
and the dogs, their number cannot be told.

The fleet, departing from Therma, came to
the country of Magnesia and there cast anchor.
But ten of the swiftest ships sailed down the
gulf of Therma straight to the island of
Sciathos, which lies to the northward of
Euboea. Here were three ships of the Greeks,
whereof one was from Athens, and one from
.^gina, and one from Trcezen ; these were
looking out for the coming of the barbarians.
And when they spied the ships of the bar-
barians they fled with all speed, and the bar-

OF THE ARMY AND SHIPS OF XERXES. 155

barians pursued them, and overtook the ship
of Trcezen. Then they took the most beautiful
of the fighting men and sacrificed him at the
prow of the ship, thinking that this was an
omen of good to them, for the man was very
beautiful, and was the first captive they had
taken from the Greeks. Also his name was
Leo, that is to say. Lion ; . and this was another
cause for which they sacrificed him.

The ship of vEgina gave the Persians no
small trouble, a certain Pytheas, who was a fight-
ing man thereon, bearing himself very bravely.
For when the ship was taken he did not cease
to contend with the enemies, until he fell, being
covered with wounds from head to foot. But
the Persian soldiers, finding that he was not
dead, but still breathed, made much of him,
seeking to keep him alive. His wounds they
dressed with myrrh and bound with bandages
of cotton ; and when they came back to their
encampment they showed the man to the host,
admiring him and dealing with him kindly.
But with the rest of the crew they dealt as with
slaves.

As for the Athenian ship, it was run aground

156 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

at the mouth of the river Peneus. The men
leaped ashore and escaped through Thessaly, but
the ship was taken by the barbarians. When
the rest of the Greeks knew of the coming of
the barbarians they were sore afraid, and de-
parted from Artemisium, intending to defend
the Euripus. Now the Euripus lies to the
southward, where the strait between the island
of Euboea and the mainland is the narrowest.

And now there befell the first disaster that
came upon the Persians. When the fieet cast
anchor on the coast of Magnesia, the first row
of ships was anchored to the shore, and the
next row was without these, and the whole
number of the rows was eight, one after the
other, for the beach was very small. The
night indeed was calm ; but at dawn there fell
upon them a strong wind from the east, which
the dwellers in these parts call the wind of the
Hellespont. Such as knew the storm coming,
and were able to drag their ships on to the shore,
saved themselves, but of the others many were
broken to pieces. Thus it was, say the Athe-
nians, that Boreas, their son-in-law, helped
them ; and when they returned to their country

OF THE ARMY AND SHIPS OF XERXES. 157

they built a temple to him on the banks of the
river Ilissus. Of the Persian ships there were
broken, at the least, four hundred. There' were
drowned also men without number, and much
treasure vvas lost. Of this treasure indeed one
Ameinocles, a Magnesian, made much gain,
gathering gold and silver cups which were
washed up by the sea, and treasure boxes
of the Persians, and articles of gold without
numben Thus he became very rich, but had
trouble withal, losing his children by violence.

For three days the storm endured. But the
Miagians offering victims and using incanta-
tions and doing sacrifices to Thetis and the
nymphs of the sea, laid it on the fourth day, or,
may be, it ceased of its own accord. The cause
wherefore they offered sacrifices to Thetis was
that here Peleus carrieid her off to be his wife.
' When the Greeks heard from their watchers
— for they had all watchers on the hills of
Eubcea — of the storms and of the breaking of
the Persian ships, they hastened back with all
speed to Artemisium, thinking to find a few
ships only to fight with. And ever after they
were wont to speak of Poseidon as the Preserver.

158 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

When the storm had ceased, the barbarians
sailed to Aphetae, that is a harbour on the
mainland over against Artemisium. But fifteen
ships having lagged behind, fell into the hands
of the Greeks, for they took the Greek ships
for their own, and sailed into the midst of
them : a certain Sandoces was commander of
the fifteen. This man had been governor of
Cumae in ^olia, and being one of the royal
judges had been crucified by King Darius
because he had taken a bribe. But while he
hung upon the cross, the King found that the
good deeds which he had done to the King's
house were more than his evil deeds, and com-
manded that he should be taken down. Thus
he escaped with his life ; but this second peril
he did not escape.

In the meanwhile Xerxes with the host
passed through the land of Thessaly. Here
he matched his horses with the horses of
Thessaly, hearing that these were the swiftest
in all Greece ; and the horses of Thessaly were
far outstripped. And having passed through
Thessaly he came to Trachis,

'A i

CHAPTER XIII.

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^.

King Xerxes pitched his camp in the region-
of Trachis, and the Greeks pitched their camp
in the Pass. (This Pass is calledThermopylae,
that is to say, the Hot Gates, by the greater
part of the Greeks, but the inhabitants of the
country call it Pylse, that is to say, the Gates.)
Here then the two armies were set over against
each other, the one being master of all the
country from the Pass northward, and the other
having that which lay to the southward. Now
the Greeks that abode the coming of the
Persians in this place werh these— three hun-
dred Spartans, heavy-armed men ; and men of
Tegea and Mantinea a thousand, from each five
hundred, and from Orchomenus one hundred
and twenty, and from the rest of Arcadia a
thousand. From Corinth there came four hun-
dred, and from Phlius two hundred, and from

i6o THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Mycenae eighty. So many came from the
Peloponnesus ; of the Boeotians there came
seven hundred from Thespise and four hundred
from Thebes. Besides these there had come
at the summons the Locrians of Opus with
all the men that they had, and a thousand
Phocians. For these the other Greeks had
summoned to their help, saying to them by
messengers, " We all that are here are come
but as the vanguard of the host ; as for the,
others we look for their coming day by
day. The sea also is in safe keeping, being
watched by the men of Athens and the men of
^gina, and such others as have been appointed
to this work. Remember also that he who
now comes against Greece is no god, but a
man only ; nor is there any mortal, nor ever
will be, with whom from the very day of his
birth misfortune is not always close at hand,
and the greater the man the greater also the
misfortune. Wherefore it may be believed
that he who now comes against us, being but
a mortal man, may fail of his purpose." When
the Phocians and Locrians heard these words,
they came to the help of the Greeks at Trachis.

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE. i6i

All of these had commanders of their own, for
every city one ; but he that was most admired
and had the chief command of the army was a
Spartan, Leonidas by name, being the twenty-
first in descent from Hercules, and having
obtained the kingdom in Sparta contrary to
expectation. For he had two brothers that
were older than he, to wit, Cleomenes and
Dorieus, and so had no thoughts of the
kingdom. Nevertheless, when Cleomenes died
without male offspring, and Dorieus also was
dead, having perished in Sicily, the kingdom
came to Leonidas, for he was older than Cleom-
brotus. (This Cleombrotus was the youngest of
the sons of Anaxandrides.) This Leonidas had
to wife Gorgo the daughter of Cleomenes ; and
now he went to Thermopylae, taking with him
three hundred men according to the custom
of the kings of Sparta. These three hundred
he had chosen from such as had male children.
On his way he took with him the four hun-
dred men of Thebes, their commander being
Leontiades. Now the cause why Leonidas
made much account of taking these men rather
than any other of the Greeks was this. It was

i63 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

commonly laid to the charge of the Thebans
that they favoured the cause of the Persians.
For this cause he summoned them to the war,
seeking to know whether they would send the
men or would plainly refuse the alliance of
the Greeks. And the Thebans, though they
wished otherwise, nevertheless sent the men.
The Spartans indeed sent on Leonidas and his
company beforehand, purposing themselves to
follow. For they thought that when the allies
knew that these were already gone, they would
also make ready ; and they feared lest these
should favour the Persians, if they themselves
should be seen to linger. And they purposed,
when they should have kept the feast — for it
chanced to be the feast of the Carneia — to-leave
a garrison in Sparta, and to follow with their
whole force. And the rest of the allies were
minded to do the same thing ; and it so befell
that the festival of Olympia was being kept at
this time. But when they sent these men
before them, they had no thought that matters
at Thermopylae would be brought to an end
so speedily.

Now the Greeks that were at Thermopylae,

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE. 163

when they saw that the Persians were now near
to the mouth of the Pass, were sore afraid, and
took counsel together whether they should not
depart. The Peloponnesians, for the most
part, desired to return to the Peloponnesus and
guard the Isthmus ; but Leonidas, seeing that
the Phocians and Locrians were greatly vexed
at this counsel, gave his sentence that they
should remain, and should send messengers to
the cities of the Greeks, bidding them send all'
the help that they could, for that they were
over few to stand up against so great a host.

While the Greeks were holding a council on
this matter, Xerxes sent a scout, a horseman,
to see how many in number they were, and
what they were doing. Now the man heard,
while he was yet in Thessaly, that a small
company of men were gathered together in this -
place, the chief of them being Spartans, and the
leader King Leonidas, of the house and lineage
of Hercules. And when he rode up to the place
where the army was encamped, he saw a part of
the men. The whole army he saw not, for
they had built again the wall that was across
the Pass, and were guarding it ; and they that

j64 the story of THE PERSIAN WAR.

were within the wall he saw not ; but they that
were without the wall, having their arms piled
beside them, he saw. Now it so chanced that
they who had their place at that time without
the wall were the Spartans. These the horse-
man saw busy with exercises and combing their
hair. All this he much marvelled to see, finding
also how few they were in number. And when
he had learnt everything for certain, he rode
back again in peace ; for no one pursued after
him, or indeed paid him any heed whatsoever.
And when he was come back he told Xerxes
all the things that he had seen. But when
Xerxes heard these things he could by no
means understand that which was indeed the
truth ; how these men were making ready
to slay as many as might be of their enemy,
.and so perish. Thinking therefore that the
whole thing was but foolishness, he sent for
Demaratus, for the man was yet with the army.
And when Demaratus stood before him, he
asked him about these things, desiring to know
what they signified. And Demaratus said,
" Thou hast heard from me, O King, the truth
concerning these men before this, even when

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL/E. 165

we were first beginning this war; but when
thou heardest it thou didst but laugh at me,
though I told thee that which I knew would
surely come to pass. For indeed, O King, I
strive always with my whole heart to tell thee
the truth. Hear therefore yet again what I
say. (These men are come hither to contend
with us for the Pass ; and this they now prepare
to do ; and they have this custom among them,
that when they are about to put their lives in
peril they adorn their heads with exceeding
care. ^ Know also, O King, that if thou canst
subdue these men, and such others of their
nation as have been left behind in Sparta, there
is no nation upon the earth that will abide thy
coming or lift up a hand against thee ; for this
city that thou now fightest against is the most
honourable in all Greece, and these men are
the bravest."

But these things seemed to Xerxes to be
wholly beyond belief ; and he asked again the
second time, "In what manner will these men,
being so few, as we know them to be, fight
with my great army ? "

TBut Demaratus answered this only, " O King,

1 66 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN'WAR.

deal with me as with a liar if everything fall'
not out even as I have said." Notwithstanding,
he could not persuade the King that it was so
in truth.

Four days, therefore, did the King suffer to
pass, hoping always that the Greeks would flee
away from their place. But on the fifth day,
seeing that they were not departed, but were full,
as it seemed to him, of impudence and folly, he
grew angry, and sentagainst them the Medes and
the Cissians, giving them a command that they
should take these Greeks alive and bring them
before him. But when these men came up and
fell upon the Greeks, many of them were slain.
Then others came up into their places and
ceased not from fighting, though indeed they
suffered a very grievous slaughter, so that it
was manifest to all men, and more especially to
the King, that though he had very many' that
bore arms, yet had he but few men of war.
And this battle endured throughout the whole
day.

The Medes, having been thus roughly handled,
fell back, and the Persians took up the fighting
in their place, even the Ten Thousand, that had

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^. 167

the name of the Immortals, whom Hydarnes
commanded. These men thought to finish the
matter very speedily. Nevertheless, when they
came to deal with the Greeks, they accomplished
nothing more than had the Medes, but fared
just as ill, for indeed they fought in a narrow
place, and their spears were shorter than the
spears of the Greeks, and their numbers availed
them not at all. As for the Spartans they
fought in a notable way, showing themselves
more skilful by far in battle than were their
enemies. Then they would sometimes turn
their backs, and make as though they were all
fled ; and when . the barbarians saw them flee
they would pursue after them with much
shouting and uproar. Then the Spartans would
turn again and stand face to face with the bar-
barians ; and when they turned they would slay
such multitudes as could not be counted. Here
also there fell certain of the Spartans, but a
few only. In the end, when the Persians after
many trials could not by any means gain the
Pass, neither by attacking in division nor by
any other means, they went back to their camp.
And twice, while these battles were being fought,

i6S THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

did Xerxes leap from his seat in great fear for
his army.

The next day also the barbarians fought, but
fared no better than before ; for they hoped
that the Greeks, being few in number, had
been overcome with their wounds, and would
not be able any more to stand up against them.
But these had been ordered in companies, ac-
cording to their nations, and so fought, the one
coming in the place of another. Only the
Phocians did not fight, being set over the
mountain that they might guard the path.
Wherefore the Persians, finding that they pre-
vailed not one whit more than before, turned
back to the camp.

The King therefore was greatly perplexed
what he should do. But while he considered
there came to him a certain Ephialtes, a man
of Malea, and desired to talk with him. This
man, hoping to receive a great reward from the
King, discovered to him the path that led over
the mountain to Thermopylae. Thus did he
bring to destruction the Greeks that abode ia
the Pass. In after time, for fear of the Spartans,
this man fled into Thessaly. And when he

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLJL. 169

fled the wardens of the Pass put a price upon
his life. This they did when the Amphictyons
met at Pylae. And as time went on Ephialtes
eame back from banishment and went to Anti-
cyra. There a certain Athenades slew him,
not for this treachery, but for some other cause.
But the Spartans honoured Athenades not the
less on this account. This was the end of
Ephialtes. As for the other story, that there
were two others, to wit, Phanagoras and Cory-
dallus, that led the Persians by this path, it is
not to be believed. For the wardens of the
Pass set a price not on these two but on
Ephialtes, having without doubt a perfect
knowledge of the whole matter. Also it is
well known that Ephialtes went into banish-
ment for this cause. Let him therefore Tae
named as having done this great wickedness.

The King was greatly pleased at the thing
which this man undertook, that is to say, the
showing of the path ; and he sent Hydarnes
and the Ten Thousand that were called the
Immortals. These setting out from the camp
about the time of the lighting of the lamps,
crossed over the river Asopus, and marched all

I70 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

night, having QEta on their right and Trachis
on their left. And when it was morning they
were found close to the top of the mountain.
At the first, indeed, the Phocians that had been
set to guard the path knew not of their coming,
for the whole of the mountain was covered with
a wood of oak trees. But when they came near,
the morning being calm, there was heard a loud
rustling, as indeed could not but be, the Per-
sians treading the leaves under their feet. Then
the Phocians leaped up and took their arms, and
forthwith the barbarians appeared ; and the
Phocians, when they saw the armed men, were
greatly astonished ; for when they had not
thought to deal with any enemy whatsoever,
lo! there was an army at hand. Hydarnes
indeed was much troubled, fearing that the
men that he saw were Spartans. And he en-
quired of Ephialtes who they might be ; and
when he knew the certainty of the matter he
commanded the Persians to make them ready
for battle. Then the Phocians, finding that the
arrows fell very thickly upon them, and thinking
that the Persians were set upon their destruction,
fled to the top of the mountain, and prepared to

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOP.YLM. 171

meet their death. But Hydarnes and Ephialtes
took no heed of them, and went down the side
of the mountain with all the speed they could.
As for the Greeks that were in the Pass, they
knew of the doom that should come upon them
so soon as the day appeared, first of all from the
soothsayer Megistias (for Megistias learned it
from the sacrifices). Afterwards came in certain
deserters with tidings that the Persians had
made a compass by the path across the moun-
tains ; lastly, when the day was breaking, came
the scouts running down from the hills. Then
the Greeks held a council, considering what they
should do ; and they . were divided ; for some
would not leave the post where they had been
set, and others were very eager to depart. And
when the council was broken up, some departed,
going each to their own city, and others made
ready to abide in the Pass with Leonidas. Some
say indeed that Leonidas sent away them that
departed, having a care for their safety ; but it
did not become him and the Spartans that were
with him, he said, to leave their post that they
haci come to keep at the first. And indeed it
seems fit to be believed that Leonidas, seeing

172 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

that the others were fainthearted and would not
willingly abide the peril, bade them go, but that
he himself held it to be a shameful thing to
depart. For he knew that he should get for him-
self great glory by abiding at his post, and that
the prosperity of Sparta should not be destroyed.
For when the Spartans at the very beginning
of the war sent to enquire of the Pythia, seeking
to know what should befall them, there was
given to them an oracle, that one of two things
must come to pass, to wit, that Sparta must
perish, or that one of their kings must fall in
battle.

And that oracle was this — ■

" Dwellers in Sparta's proud domains,
Hear what the will of fate ordains :
Or falls your noble city low
Beneath the feet of Persian foe ;
Or all your borders shall bewail

A Zeus-descended monarch slain ;
Nor bull nor lion shall avail

The foe's fierce onset to restrain ;
Lo ! onward moves his dark array.
Mighty as Zeus, and will not stay
Till King or city be his prey."

Remembering therefore this oracle, and de-
siring to get for the Spartans all the glory of

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLM. 173

this matter, Leonidas sent away the others.
This is rather to be believed than that they had
a controversy in the council, and so departed
in an unseemly fashion and without order.

And that this was so is manifest both from
other things and also from what befell Megistias
the soothsayer. This Megistias was an Acar-
nanian and of the house, it was reported, of
Melampus ; and Leonidas would have sent him
away together with the others, lest he should
perish with them. Megistias indeed would not
depart, but he sent away his son who chanced
to be with the army ; for indeed he had no
other son but him only.

The others thereupon hearkened to the words
of Leonidas and departed ; but the Thespians
and the Thebans only abode with the Spartans.
This the Thebans indeed did against their will,
for Leonidas kept these to be as hostages ; but
the Thespians remained of their own free will,
affirming that they would not leave Leonidas
and his companions. Wherefore they abode
in the Pass and perished together with the
Spartans. Their leader was Demophilus.

174 '^HE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER XIV-

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^ {continued).

So soon as the sun was risen Xerxes made
libations ; and about the time when the market
begins to fill he commanded that the army-
should advancig. This he had been bidden to
do by Ephialtes, because the way for them that
descended the mountain was shorter by far than
the way for them that ascended. Now when
the Persians were seen to approach, Leonidas
and his companions, as knowing that their end
was near, went further than they had gone on
the days before into that part which is broader.
For before they had been wont to guard the
wall, and advancing therefrom to fight in the
narrows of the Pass. But now they joined battle
with the barbarians in the open space, slaying
great multitudes of them. As for these indeed
the captains of their companies standing be-
hind them and having great whips, drave them

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLJE. 175

forward. And many were thrust into the sea
by the press and so perished ; and many were
trodden down by their companions. Nor did
any one take any count of them that perished.
And the Greeks, knowing that death was at
hand, now that the barbarians had come round
over the mountains, recked not of their Hves,
but fought with rage that was beyond all
measure. By this time the spears of the greater
part were already broken, so that they smote
down the Persians with their swords. While
they thus fought King Leonidas was slain,
having done many deeds of valour ; and there
fell many other Spartans with him, men of
renown. Many famous Persians also were slain
at this time, and among them two sons of Darius.
And there was an exceeding fierce fight between
the Spartans and the Persians concerning the
body of Leonidas ; but in the end the Spartans
prevailed, so great was their valour, and carried
it away, and they drave back the Persians four
times. But when the Greeks perceived that
the Persians that followed Ephialtes were at
hand, they returned to the narrows of the Pass,
beyond the wall, and gathered themselves to-

176 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

gether in the company on the mound that is at
the entering in of the Pass, where in aftertime
there was set a lion of stone over the grave of
King Leonidas. Here such as had swords yet
remaining to them unbroken, defended them-
selves with them ; and the rest fought with
their hands and teeth, till at the last the bar-
barians, some pulling down the walls and assail-
ing them in front and others surrounding them
on every side, overwhelmed them with stones
and arrows and the like.

All the Spartans and Thespians showed
themselves right valiant ; but the bravest of
all was Dieneces a Spartan. It was this
Dieneces that spake a very noteworthy saying
before the Spartans joined battle with the Per-
sians. And the saying was this. A man of
Trachis affirmed that when the Persians shot off
their arrows the sun was darkened by the
number of them. But Dieneces was not one
whit astonished at the matter, but, taking no
heed at all of the multitude of the Persians,
made answer, saying, " This is good news that
the stranger from Trachis brings us, for if the
Persians so hide the sun then shall we fisfht in

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE. 177

the shade." Many such like sayings did this
Djeneces speak. Next after this Dieneces were
two brothers, Alpheus and Maron ; and of the
Thespians the bravest was one^ithyrambus.

All these were buried even where they were
slain. On them that died before that Leonidas
had sent away a part of his army, there was
written this epitaph — -

" Four times a thousand men from Pelops' land
Three thousand times a thousand did withstand."

But over the Spartans by themselves there was
written —

" Go, tell the Spartans, thou that pass^st by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie."

And over the soothsayer was this —

" Here lies the great Megistias, whom of yore
The Persian host, from swift Asopus' shore
Ascending, slew. The seer his doom could read.
Yet left not Sparta's chieftains in their need."

The other columns indeed and that which was
written upon them did the Amphictyons set up ;
but the column of Megistias the seer and the
inscription thereon Simonides set up for friend-
ship's sake.

13

178 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Of the three hundred two, Eurytus and Aris-
todemus, were absent from their companions on
the day of the battle. Now these two might,
if they had been willing to agree, either have
returned both of them to Sparta, for Leonidas
had sent them away from the army and they
lay at Alpeni, grievously afflicted with sickness
of the eyes, or if they were not willing so to
return, have died along with the others. As for
Eurytus, when he knew that the Persians had
come round by the path, he called for his arms
and put them on him, and bade his helot lead
him into the battle. So the helot led him to
the battle, and then turned and fled, and Eurytus
thrust himself into the press of the battle, and
so perished. But as for Aristodemus his courage
failed him, and he tarried at Alpeni. Now if
Aristodemus only had been sick and so returned
alive to Sparta, or if they two had so returned
together, it may well be believed that the
Spartans would have had no indignation against
them ; but seeing that, both being in the same
case, one perished but the other was not willing
to die, it could not but be that they should have
great indignation against him that still lived.

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE. 179

Such is the-Btory that some tell about Aris-
todemus ; but others say that having been sent
as a messenger from the army, when he might
have returned before the battle, he lingered on
the' way of set purpose, but that his fellow mes-
senger returned and was slain. This Aristode-
mus, going back to Sparta, was held in great
shame and dishonour. For no Spartan would
give him fire, nor would any talk with him, but
they called him " Aristodemus the Coward."
Notwithstanding at the battle of Plat^a he did
away with all his disgrace.

As for the Thebans that were with Leonidas,
for a while they fought together with the other
Greeks against the Persians, doing this by com-
pulsion. But when the barbarians prevailed,
and the Greeks gathered themselves together at
the mound, then the Thebans separated them-
selves from them, and stretching forth their
hands came near to the barbarians, and cried,
speaking indeed the veriest truth, that they had
yielded themselves to the Persians, and had
given earth and water to the King, none sooner,
and that they had come to Thermopylae under
compulsion, and were without guilt for the loss

i8o THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

that had befallen the King's army, Thus they
were saved alive, and indeed they had the
Thessalians to witness for them that they spake
the truth. Nevertheless they were not alto-
gether fortunate, for some of. them were slain
by the barbarians as they approached, and the
others were branded with the King's mark, for
such was the command of Xerxes. The first
that suffered this was their general Leontiades.
The son of this Leontiades, Eurymachus, was
afterwards slain by the men of Plataea when he
came with four hundred other Thebans seeking
to take their city.

These things being finished, the King sent
for Demaratus and spake to him, saying,
" Demaratus, thou art a good man, as I know
by thy speaking of the truth, for indeed all
things have turned out according to thy saying.
Tell me now how many in number are the
Spartans that yet remain ? and how many of
them are such as they that have now fought
against us ? "

Then said Demaratus, " O King, there are
many Lacedaemonians ; but in this country of
Lacedsemon there is a certain city, Sparta,

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE. i8i

wherein are, as near as may be, eight thousand
men as brave as them that fought in the Pass.
The other Lacedaemonians are not a match for
these ; nevertheless they are brave men."

Xerxes s aid, "Tell me now, Demaratus,
how shall we best get the mastery over these
men ? Speak, for thou wast a King among
them and must need know all their counsels;"

Demaratus made answer, " Since thou seekest
counsel of me so earnestly, O King, I will tell
thee, as is right, the best thing thou canst
do. Send three hundred of thy ships against
the land of the Lacedaemonians. Now there
Heth over against this land a certain island,
Cythera, concerning which island one Chilon,
a very wise man that once dwelt among us.
Was wont to say that it would be far better for
the Spartans that it should be sunk under the
sea than that it should be above the sea. This
he said because he feared always lest some
such thing should be done as I am now about
to tell thee. And he said it knowing nothing
of thy coming against Greece, but fearing
all coming of strangers to this place. Send
men therefore to this island, and let them

iS2 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN IV AR.

harass the Spartans from thence. And it shall
be that if they have a war of their own close at
home they will not be a trouble to thee, so as
to help the other Greeks when thy army seeks
to subdue them. And when thou hast subdued
the rest of Greece, the Spartans, being left
alone, will be feeble. But if thou wilt not
follow this counsel then know that there shall
come to pass that which I now tell thee.
When thou comest to the Peloponnesus thou
wilt find a narrow neck of land ; and at this
neck all the men of the Peloponnesus that are
leagued together against thee will be gathered
together, and there wilt thou have to fight
battles fiercer by far than that which thou hast
now seen."

Now it so chanced that Achsemenes, who
was brother to King Xerxes, and had command
of the fleet, was present when Demaratus thus
spake. Fearing then that the King might
follow this counsel, he brake in, " I see, O
King, that thou listenest to the counsels of a
man that envies thy good fortune, and seeks to
betray thee. This indeed is ever the manner
of the Greeks ; they envy good fortune, and

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL/E. 183

hate- that which is stronger than themselves.
If now, when we have lost four hundred ships
by shipwreck, three hundred more shall be sent
away from the fleet to sail round the Pelopon-
nesus, then will our enemies be a match for us.
But if we keep our whole fleet together, then
will it be such as they will not dare to en-
counter. Consider also that if that which we
have on the land and that which we have on
the sea advance together, the one will be able
to help the other. But if thou part them
asunder, the fleet will not be able to help thee,
nor thou to help the fleet. Only order thine
own affairs well, and take no thought about
thine enemies, whether they will join battle
with thee, or what they will do, or how many
they be in number. Surely they without us
can manage their own affairs and we ours
without them. As to the Spartans, if they
come out to fight against us, they will in no
wise heal this great wound that they have now
received at our hands."

To this the King made answer, "This is
well said, Achsemenes, and I will follow thy
counsel. For though Demaratus saith what

i84 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

he deems the best for me, his judgment is
worse than thine. But this I will not believe,
that he has not goodwill for me and my fortunes.
So much I know from the counsel that he has
given me before, and also from his own affairs.
For that a man may envy a fellow citizen that
is more fortunate than he, and may hate him
secretly, and if he be asked for counsel will not
speak the thing that is best, is to be believed,
unless indeed he be of a very rare and excellent
virtue. But a friend rejoices in the prosperity
of a friend that is of another country, and gives
him counsel according to the best of his power.
Now this Demaratus is my friend, and I warn
all men that hereafter they keep themselves
from speaking evil of him."

.^ When Xerxes had thus spoken, he went to
see the bodies of them that had been slaiuj
And when he came to the body of Leonidas,
knowing him to have been the captain and
King of the Spartans, he commanded that they
should cut the head from it and put it on a cross,

: which may be taken for a proof that there was
no man that Xerxes hated so much as he hated

[Leonidas while he was yet alive ; for else he

OF THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYL^. 185

had not done this dishonour to his dead body. ,
For the Persians are wont, for the most part,
more than other men, to show honour to them
that have shown themselves good men in war.
It must yet be told how the Spartans first
knew that the King had it in his mind to bring
an army against Greece. This Demaratus, of
whom mention has been made, was not friendly,
it would appear, to them that had driven him
forth. Wherefore it may be doubted whether
he did this thing that shall now be told from
goodwill or from insolence. So soon as Xerxes
had fixed it in his mind to march against
Greece, Demaratus, being then in the city of
Susa, and hearing the matter, desired to send
tidings of it to the Spartans. And the way
which he devised of sending them was this,
for there was great peril lest he should be dis-
covered. This therefore was his contrivance. /
He took a tablet that had two leaves, and!
having cleared away from it the wax, he wrote
upon the wood the purpose of the King. And
having done this, he melted the wax again over
the writing, knowing that the guards of the
road would not trouble themselves about a

i86 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

tablet that was seen to be empty. But when
the tablet was brought to Sparta no one could
understand the matter, till Gorgo, that was
daughter to Cleomenes and wife to Leonidas,
discovered it to them, for she said, " Scrape
the wax from off the tablet and you will of a
surety find writing upon the wood." Thus did
the Spartans hear of the coming of the King,
and forthwith sent tidings of it to the other
Greeks.

CHAPTER XV.

OF THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS AT ARTEMISIUM.

The Greeks had in all two hundred and seventy
and one ships of war ,having three banks of
oars, and of smaller ships a few. Of these the
Athenians furnished one hundred and twenty
and seven, certain of these being manned by
the men of Plateea, who, though they had no
knowledge of the seaman's art, yet of their
valour and zeal took their part in the business.
Also the Athenians supplied twenty ships to
the men of Chalcis. The Spartans sent ten ships
only ; nevertheless the commander of the fleet
was a Spartan, Eurybiades by name, for the
allies had said, " Unless a Spartan be com-
mander we will break up the fleet, for an
Athenian will we not serve."

Now there had been talk, even before the
sending of the ambassadors to Sicily for help,
how that it would be well to hand over to the

1 88 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Athenians the command of the fleet. But
when the allies set themselves against the
thing, then the Athenians gave place, for they
desired above all things that Greece should be
saved, and judged, and that right truly, that if
there should be a strife concerning the pre-
eminence, it would surely perish. And indeed
a strife between kindred is as much worse than
war, wherein all have one mind, as war itself
is worse than peace. The Athenians, knowing
this, did not hold out for themselves, but gave
place. Only afterwards, when the occasion
served, they showed their thoughts. For when
the Greeks had driven back the Persians, so
that they had now to fight for their own country,
then finding occasion in the insolence of Pau-
sanias, they took away the chief command from
the Spartans. But this happened afterwards.

When the Greeks that assembled at Arte-
misium saw the ships of the barbarians how
many in number they were, and how the whole
country was filled with their armament, and
saw that the Persians had prospered in their
undertaking beyond what they had thought,
they were in great fear, and took counsel to-

OF THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS. 189

gether whether they should not depart from
Artemisium and betake themselves to the inner
parts of their country. Now when the men
of Euboea were ware that the Greeks had
such a purpose in their minds, they came
to Eurybiades, and besought him to remain
a while, till they should have removed their
children and their slaves to a place of safety.
And when they could not persuade Eurybiades
they departed from him and went to Themis-
tocles, the commander of the Athenians, and
persuaded him to do this thing, giving him
thirty talents of silver. And the manner in
which Themistocles caused the Greeks to tarry
at Artemisium was this. First he sent to
Eurybiades five talents of the thirty, making
as though they came from himself. Thus was
Eurybiades persuaded. Then to Adeimantus
of Corinth — for this man still opposed, affirming
that he would sail away from Artemisium and
would by no means tarry — he said with an oath,
"Surely thou wilt not forsake us. I will give
thee greater gifts if thou abide with us than
the King would give thee for going over to
him." And when he had said this he sent

igo THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

three talents to the Corinthian's ship. Thus
these two were won over by gifts, and the
men of Euboea had what they desired. As
for Themistocles, he made no small gain in this
matter, for he kept that which was left for him-
self, none knowing of it. They that had a
share in the money believed that it had been
sent from Athens for this very end. Thus did
it come to pass that the Greeks fought with
the barbarians at Artemisium.

As for the battle, it was in this wise. When
the barbarians saw that the ships of the Greeks
were few in number they were desirous to fight
without delay, hoping that they might take
them before they could escape, and fearing lest
they should flee. But they judged it better
not to sail straight against them, lest the Greeks
seeing them so advance should take to flight ;
for that if night should fall while they fled they
would clean escape out of their hands. Now
the desire of the Persians was that not even
the torchbearer, as men say, should escape.
(When the Spartans go forth to war they have
with them one who keeps the sacred fire for
the sacrifices. Him they defend with all their

OF THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS. igi

might ; nor is he killed unless the whole army
perish.) They contrived therefore this plan.
They separated two hundred ships from the
whole fleet, and sent them round the island of
Euboea, commanding them to make a very wide
circuit, lest the Greeks should see them. And
their purpose was that the two hundred ships
should bar the way by the Euripus (the Euripus
is the channel at the extremity of the island
southward), and that so the Greeks might be
shut in on either side, for the two hundred ships
would be behind them, and the remainder of
the fleet would attack them from before.
Having so done they remained in their place,
till they should know by a signal that the two
hundred ships had accomplished their voyage.

Now there was among the Persians a certain
Scyllias of Scione, than whom there was in
those days no more skilful diver. This man
had saved much treasure for the Persians after
the great storm that fell on the fleet from
Mount Pelion, getting also no small portion for
himself. He had been minded for some time
to go over to the Greeks, but had not before
found occasion. And indeed how he passed

192 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

from the Persians to the Greeks is not cer-
tainly known ; but marvellous things are told
about it. For some say that diving into the
sea at Aphetse he did not come up to the top
of the water so much as once till he was arrived
at Artemisium, so passing through eighty fur-
longs of sea or thereabouts. Many other
things are told about this man that are mani-
festly false, and some that are true. But as
to his coming from Aphetse to Artemisium,
doubtless he came in a boat. And so soon
as he was come he told the commanders of
the fleet of the damage done to the Persians, and
also of the two hundred ships that had been
sent round Euboea.

When the commanders heard these things
they took counsel what they should do. At
the first they proposed to remain in their place
till midnight, and then sail to meet the two
hundred ships; but afterwards, changing their
purpose, they set sail, net long after noonday,
towards the fleet of the barbarians, desiring to
made a trial of their manner of fighting and of
their skill.

Now when the Persians perceived the Greeks

OF THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS. 193

thus sailing against them, and saw how few
ships they had, they thought that they were
mad, and went out to meet them, not doubting
that they should easily take them all ; for their
ships were many more in number and also
sailed better. And such of the lonians as
wished well to the Greeks, and served with
the Persians against their will, were much
troubled to see the fleet of the Greeks sur-
rounded, thinking it certain that none of them
would escape ; but they that had no love for
the Greeks rejoiced, and strove with each other
who should first take an Athenian ship, and
gain for himself great gifts from the King.
For the Athenians were most accounted of
both among the Persians and the Greeks.

The Greeks, when the first signal was given,
brought the sterns of their ships together and
turned their prows towards their enemies ; and
on the second signal they joined battle ; and
though they were shut into a narrow space they
bare themselves bravely and took twenty ships
of the barbarians, and with them Philaon,
brother to Gorgus King of Salamis, a man
held in much respect. And the first of the

14

194 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Greeks that took a ship of the Persians was
Lycomedes of Athens, to whom was given the
prize of valour. But while they still fought,
and victory was yet doubtful, the night fell. So
the Greeks sailed back to their place, and the
Persians also, marvelling much at what had be-
fallen them, for it was far otherwise than what
they had hoped. In this battle one only of the
Greeks came over from the Persians to the
Greeks, a man of Lesbos, to whom the Athe-
nians gave afterwards certain lands in Salamis
for a reward.

But before night a great rain, with thunder
and lightning from Mount Pelion, fell upon the
Persians ; and the dead corpses of them that
had been slain in the battle, and broken pieces
of the ships, were floated into the midst of the
ships and hindered the oars. And the Persians
were greatly afraid, thinking that there was no
end of their perils, first the storm, and then the
battle, and now this great storm of rain. But as
for them that were sent round the island they
fared much worse, for the storm fell upon them
while they were in the open sea. They were
near to the Hollows of Eubcea when the wind

OF THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS. 195

and the rain overtook them ; nor could they hold
up against the storm, but being driven they
knew not whither, fell among rocks, and so
were utterly destroyed. Thus did the Gods
contrive that the number of the Persian ships
should be made equal to the number of the
ships of the Greeks.

Right glad were the barbarians when the
morning was come ; and that day they tarried
in their place, being well content to be quiet
after all their troubles. And to the Greeks
there came fifty and three ships of the Athenians.
Tidings also were brought how that all the ships
of the barbarians that had sought to sail round
Euboea had perished by reason of the storm.
All this put them in good heart ; and at the
same hour at which they had sailed the day
before, they went forth and fell on some Cilician
ships and destroyed them, and so, at nightfall,
sailed back to Artemisium.

The third day the barbarians took it much to
heart that so few ships of the Greeks should
work them such injury. They fearec^ also what
Xerxes would do to them ; therefore they did
not tarry till the Greeks should begin the batrie,,

196 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

but bidding each other be of good heart, about
noonday they sailed out. Now it so fell out
that these three days were the very days on
which the Persians and the Greeks had fought
in the Pass. For the Greeks at Artemisium
sought to keep the Euripus even as Leonidas
and his comrades sought to keep the Pass. So
the Greeks strengthened each other, saying that
they should not suffer the barbarians to go from
thence into their land, and the Persians were fain
to destroy the fleet of their enemies and so get
the mastery of the strait. This day then the
barbarians set themselves in order of battle and
sailed against the Greeks, and these kept in their
place at Artemisium. But when the Persians,
having their ships in the shape of a crescent,
made as if they would take the Greeks on both
sides, then these sailed out and joined battle.
This day neither the one nor the other had the
upper hand, for the fleet of Xerxes was damaged
not a little by reason of the multitude of the
ships, Jihese falling into confusion and striking
the one against the other ; nevertheless it held
out and gave no place to the enemy, for the
Persians counted it a grievous thing that they

OF THE SHIPS OF THE GREEKS.

197

should be put to flight by a few. Thus It came
to pass that many of the ships of the Greeks
were broken, and many of the men perished.
But of the barbarians there perished more by a
great many both . of ships and of men. And
after they had fought together for a long time
they "parted asunder, going right gladly to their
own place. In this battle of all the men of
Xerxes none bare themselves more bravely
than the Egyptians, and of all the Greeks none
more than the Athenians, and among these than
Cleinias the son of Alcibiades. This Cleinias
served at his own charges, having two hundred
men and his own ship.

198 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER XVI.

OF THE DEPARTURE OF THE GREEKS FROM ARTE-
MiSIUM AND OF THE ADVANCE OF XERXES.

The battle being ended, the Greeks got posses-
sion of the broken ships and of the dead bodies
of the slain ; but seeing that they had been
roughly handled, the Athenians not less than
the others — for the half of their ships had suf-
fered damage — they purposed to depart. Then
Themistocles, thinking that if he could divide
the men of Ionia and the men of Caria from the
barbarians, the Greeks could have the mastery
of the rest, gathered together the commanders,
while the Euboeans were driving down their
sheep to the sea, and told them that he had con-
ceived a device by which he could divide from
the King the bravest of his allies. Also he
said that they should kill as many as they would
of the sheep of the Euboeans, for that it was
better that they should have them than that

OF THE ADVANCE OF XERXES.

199

they should fall into the hands of the barbarians ;
also he would have the camp-fire according to
custom. " And I will take care," he said,
" that you shall get back to Greece without
any damage."

Now the people of Euboea had paid no regard
to the oracle of Bacis, making light of it alto-
gether, arid neither removing their goods from
the island, nor yet putting them into their strong
places. And the oracle was this :

Ye sons of fair Euboea heed :

Whene'er the strangers' dark array

Shall bridge the sea with ropes of reed,
Drive ye your bleating flocks away.

And by this neglect they were brought to ruin.
By this time there was come a messenger
from Thermopylae. For the Greeks had set a
man in Trachis to tell them that fought in the
Pass how it fared with the ships at Artemisium,
and there was another man with King Leonidas
who was to bring news to Artemisium of the
doings of the Spartans. This man was now
come, telling all that had befallen the Greeks in
the Pass ; which when the commanders of the
fleet had heard, they delayed no longer, but de-

200 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

parted, each in their order, first the Corinthians,
and last of all the Athenians. But Themistocles
chose the swiftest of the Athenian ships, and
going to the places for watering, engraved there
upon the rocks certain words which the lonians
coming the next day to Artemisium read. And
the words were these, " Men of Ionia, ye do
wrong making war against your fathers and
seeking to enslave the land of Greece. Of right
ye should be on our side. But if this be not
possible to you, yet stand ye aloof from the battle,
and entreat the Carians also that they do like-
wise. And if so be that ye cannot either help us
or stand aloof, being under such constraint that
ye cannot revolt against the barbarians, yet, when
the battle is joined, ye should hold your hands,
remembering that ye are of our blood, and that
for your sake we first provoked the barbarians
to wrath." For Themistocles said to himself,
" Either this writing will not come to the know-
ledge of the King, and the lonians will perchance
be persuaded to help us ; or, coming to his
knowledge, it will cause him to have doubts of
them, and he will not suffer them to come into
battle together with his ships."

OF THE ADVANCE OF XERXES.

201

Now when the barbarians heard that the
Greeks had fled from Artemisium, at the first
they would not believe it, but afterwards, find-
ing it to be so, they sailed thither. And when
they were arrived at the place there came a
herald from King Xerxes, saying, " Comrades,
the King permits any -that will to leave his
place and see for himself how he fights against
the foolish men that thought to resist his
might." But before that he sent the herald
he had ordered matters in this wise. He took
of them that had been slain of his army at the
Pass one thousand (but the number of the
whole was twenty thousand), and left them to
be seen ; but the rest he hid away, digging two
great trenches for them and covering them with
leaves, and heaping earth upon them. Now
when the herald had made this proclamation
there could scarcely be found a boat, so many
desired to see this sight. So they crossed over
and saw it, passing among the dead bodies ; all
these they thought to be either Spartans or
men of Thespise, though indeed there were
many helots among the slain. Nevertheless
they that croissed over perceived what Xerxes

202 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

had done with the dead of his own army. And
indeed it was a fooHsh device, for on the one
side were to be seen the thousand men, and on
the other four thousand, gathered together all
of them into one place. This day therefore
they spent in this fashion, and the next the
seamen went back to their ships and Xerxes
with his army went forward.

About this time there came to the Persians
certain men from Arcadia, poor men that sought
for a livelihood. When these were brought
before the King, one of the Persians asked,
them, saying, " What do the Greeks at this
season ? " The Arcadians answered, " They
hold the games at Olympia, looking on the sports
and on the races of chariots." Then said the
Persian, " What is the prize for which they
contend ? " And when the Arcadians answered,
" They contend for a wreath of olive leaves,"
Tritantaechmes, that was the son to Artabanus,
cried out, " Now, by the Gods, O Mardonius,
what manner of men are these against whom
thou bringest us, that they contend with each
other, not for money, but for glory only ? "
This was in truth a noble thing that he said,

OF THE ADVANCE OF XERXES. 203

but it angered the King, so that he charged
Tritantaechmes with cowardice.

From Trachis the Persians marched into
Doris, and from Doris into Phocis. This they
laid waste, burning the towns and the temples.
As for the Phocians themselves, they escaped,
for the most part, with their wives and children,
to the heights of Mount Parnassus. When they
had passed through the land of Phocis the
barbarians divided their army into two parts,
whereof the one, with King Xerxes, marched
towards Athens through the land of Bceotia,
and the other, having taken to themselves
guides, marched towards the temple at Delphi.
This they did purposing to spoil the temple,
and to bring the treasure to the King ; and
indeed the King knew all the notable things
that were laid up in the treasury at Delphi
better than he knew the things that he had left
in his own house ; for there was continually
much talk about them, and especially about the
offerings which Crcesus, King of the Lydians,
had made to the god.

The men of Delphi, when they knew of the.
coming of the Persians, were in great fear;

204 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

therefore they enquired of the oracle what they
should do with the treasures of the temple,
whether they should bury them in the earth, or
take them away to some other land. But the
god answered them in these words, " Move
them not, for I am sufficient to defend that
which is mine own." When the men of DeljDhi
heard these words, they took counsel about
themselves. First they carried their women
and children across the gulf of Corinth to the
land of Achaia, and after that they fled, for the
most part, to the heights of Parnassus, and their
goods they hid in the Corycian cave ; but some
of them escaped to Amphissa, a city of the
Locrians ; of all the men of Delphi there were
left in the city sixty only, and the prophet.

So soon as the barbarians were come near so
that they could see the temple, the prophet (his
name was Aceratus) espied the holy arms
which it is not lawful for a man to touch, lying
without the temple. And while he went to tell
this marvel to them that were in the city, and
the barbarians were coming up with all speed,
and were now near to the temple of Athene,
there befell marvels greater by far than that

OF THE ADVANCE OF XERXES. 205

which has been told. A great marvel indeed
is it that arms should move of their own accord
so as to be seen lying without the temple, but
the things that befell afterwards are greater by
far, and such indeed that nothing can be com-
pared with them. First of all, so soon as the
barbarians, coming up the road, were now
hard by the temple of Athene, "there fell on
them great thunderbolts from heaven, and two
great rocks brake off from the top of Mount
Parnassus, and rolled down upon them with a
great crash, and slew many of them, and there
was heard also from the temple a war-cry and
a shout of victory." And when the barbarians
saw and heard all thes'e things, great fear came
upon them, so that they turned their backs and
fled. And when the men of Delphi perceived
that they fled, they came down and pursued
after them, and slew not a few of them. And
they that escaped fled into Boeotia, turning
neither to the right hand nor to the left. * They
said also that, over and above the other mar-
vels that have been told, they saw two men at
arms, whose stature exceeded the stature of a
man, following after them and slaying them.

2o6 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

These two men the men of Delphi affirm to
have been heroes of the country, Phylacus and
Autonous, These two have each a temple and
a precinct near to the city of Delphi. As for
the rocks that fell from Parnassus, they are
to be seen to this day in the precinct of
Athene, in which they lodged after that they
had passed through the host of the barbarians.

CHAPTER XVII.

OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS AND OF 'tHE
CITY of' ATHENS.

The ships of the Greeks, having departed from
Artemisium, came to Salamis. The Athenians
had besought them to do this that they might
carry their women and children out of their
country, and also might' take counsel together
what was best to be done. For indeed things
had not happened according to their expecta-
tions. For they had thought to find the men
of the Peloponnese drawn up with their whole
force in the land of Boeotia to do battle with
the barbarians. But now they heard that these
purposed to build a wall across the. Isthmus,
and so defend their own country, suffering the
rest of Greece to take thought for itself. And
this the Greeks did. And so soon as they
were come thither there flowed' to them no
small force that had been- gathered together at

2o8 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Posfon, the haven of the Troezenians. For the
word had gone forth that all who would fight
for Greece should be gathered together at
Pogon. All these the same Eurybiades that
was at Artemisium commanded, being a Spartan
but not of the house of the Kings. Of all the
ships the best were the ships of the Athenians,
being in number one hundred and eighty.
These were now altogether manned by their own
people, for the men of Platsea had gone to carry
away their wives and children from their city.
The men of .^Egina sent thirty ships, leaving
certain others to defend their city. From the
island of Naxos there came four. These indeed
had been sent by their people to help the
Persians, but they made light of the command
and helped the Greeks. This they did at the
instance of Democritus, a notable man among
the Naxians and captain of a ship. The men
of Seriphos and Siphnos and Melos also helped
the Greeks, being the only islanders that had not
given earth and water to the barbarians. These
three sent in all four ships of fifty oars. And
of all the countries beyond the sea the men of
Crotona only came to the help of the Greeks in

OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS.

209

their great peril. These sent one ship which
Phayllus, a man that had been crowned at the
Pythian games,. commanded. Now the number
of the ships in all was three hundred and seventy
and eight ; but in this number the ships of fifty
oars were not reckoned.

Meanwhile there had been made a proclama-
tion among the Athenians that each man should
save his children and his household as best he
could. The most part sent them away to
Troezen; but some sent them to ^gina, and
some to Salamis. This they did with all speed,
desiring to obey the words of the oracle, and
also for another reason which shall now be told.
The Athenians say that in their citadel in the
temple there dwells a great snake that is the
guardian of the place. And indeed they set out
for this snak-e a monthly provision of food, as for
a veritable creature ; and the monthly provision
is a honey cake. This honey cake which before
had always been eaten was now seen to be un-
touched. When the priestess told these things
to the people they were more earnest than before
to leave the city, as thinking that the goddess
Athene had deserted the citadel. Nevertheless

15

2IO THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

they did not all depart, for the Persians, when^
they came, found the city indeed desolate of
inhabitants, but in the citadel certain men, that
were either ministers of the temple or of the-
poorer sort that for lack of means had not
departed with the rest of the people to Salamis.
But some of them went not, thinking that they
rightly understood the oracle of the Pythia when
she said, " The wooden wall . shall not • be^
taken ; " for that by this wall was signified, not
the ships, but a veritable wall of wood. These
therefore had fenced about the citadel with
doors and pieces of wood, and so awaited the
v'oming of the Persians.

The Persians indeed encamped on the hill
that is over against the citadel (this hill the
Athenians call the hill of Ares) and began the
siege, shooting at the Greeks arrows with burn-
ing tow upon them that so they might set fire
to the barricade. Nevertheless the men held
out, though indeed they were in evil case, and
their wooden wall had failed them ; nor would
they hearken to the words of the sons of Pisis-
tratus when these would have them surrender,
but they rolled down great stones upon the barba-

OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS.

rians as these came up to the gates, and so kept
the place. And for many days Xerxes was in
great doubt, and knew not how he should
prevail over them ; but at last they discovered a
way of access. For it must needs be that the
oracle should be fulfilled, that all the country of
the Athenians upon the mainland should be
conquered by the barbarians. Certain Persians
climbed up the hill where there was no watch, no
one believing that any man could mount by that
way, so steep was it. (The place is on the face
of the cliff, behind the gates and the way by
which men commonly ascend.) So soon as the
Athenians saw them now already on the top,
some threw themselves from the wall and so
perished ; and some fled for refuge to the
sanctuary. But the Persians, when they had
opened the gates of the citadel for their fellows,
slew all them that had taken sanctuary ; and
afterwards they plundered the temple and
burned all the citadel with fire. Then Xerxes,
being now wholly master of Athens,, sent off a
messenger, a horseman^ to Artabanus, to tell
him of his good success. Also, on the second
day after the sending of the herald, he com-

212 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

manded the Athenian exiles that had followed
in his train to go up to the citadel and do sacri-
fice in the place according to the custom of their
country. This he did either by reason of a
dream, or because it repented him that he had
burned the temple. And the exiles did as the
King commanded. And when they were come
to the citadel they found a marvellous thing.
There was in the citadel a temple of Erectheus,
whom the Athenians call the " earth-born," and
in the temple an olive tree, which Athene left
for a memorial of her when she contended with
Poseidon for the land of the Athenians. Now
this olive had been burned with other things
in the temple, but when the Athenians went up,
according to the King's commandment, they
found that there had sprung forth from the
trunk a fresh shoot of a cubit in length.

So soon as tidings came to the Greeks of
Salamis of the things that had befallen Athens
and its citadel, there came upon them such fear
that some of the captains would not wait till
the council should Have voted, but embarked in
their vessels with all haste, and hoisted up their
sails, as though they would fly without delay.

OF TtlE GREEKS AT SALAMIS. 213

And such as stayed at the council voted that the
fleet should give battle to the Persians at the
Isthmus. Afterwards, it being now night, the
captains departed, each man to his own vessel.

And when Themistocles was come to his
ship there met him a certain Mnesiphilus, an
Athenian, who asked him what the council had
decreed. And when Themistocles said, " They
have decreed that we should sail to the Isthmus,
and there fight for the Peloponnese," Mnesi-
philus made answer, "If these men take away
their ships from Salamis, there will be no
one country for which ye may fight. For the
Greeks will depart each to his own city, and
neither Eurybiades nor any other man shall be
able to hinder them from so scattering them-
selves. So shall Greece perish by the folly of
their children. If therefore there be any device
by which thou canst deliver us from this end,
haste and make trial of it. Haply thou mayest
persuade Eurybiades to change his purpose
and remain in this place."

This counsel pleased Themistocles well. To
Mnesiphilus indeed he answered nothing, but
he went straightway to the ship of Eurybiades,

214 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

and said that he had a matter concerning the
common weal about which he would speak
with him. Then said Eurybiades, " Come into
my ship if thou hast aught to say." So The-
mistocles sat by his side and told him all that
he had heard from Mnesiphilus — only he said
these things as if from himself — and added also
many other things. So urgent was he that at
the last Eurybiades went forth and gathered
together the other captains to council. So soon
then as these were gathered together, before
that Eurybiades had set forth the matter where-
fore they were assembled, Themistocles, as one
that was wholly intent on his purpose, said
many things, so ihatAdeimantus of Corinth
cried out to him, " Themistocles, in the games
they that start too soon are scourged." " Yea,"
said Themistocles, excusing himself, "but they
that linger are not crowned." Thus he an-
swered the Corinthian softly. And to Eury-
biades he spake, not indeed after his former
manner, how that the ships would be scattered
from where he should have sailed to the
ilsthmus, for the allies were present, and he
thought it not seemly to say this thing in their

OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS. 215

ears, .but rather, in spmq §uch ifashion as this :
.'iVit is in thy hands to save Greece, if thou wilt
hearken unto me and abide in this place, and
so give battle to the barbarians, not heeding
those who would have thee depart hence to the
Isthrnus with thy ships. For hear now, and set
these two things one against the other. If the
host give battle at tlie Isthmus, then shall we
, fight in the open sea, than which there coyld be
nothing less, to our advantage, seeing that our
ships are fewer in number, and thes.e heavier.
Also we shall lose Salamis and Megara and
^gina, though we prosper in thq battle. For
remember that the army of the barb3,rians will
follow together with their fleet, and that thou
wilt thus bring both the. one and the other to
the Peloponnese, and so put all Greece upon
the hazard. But, if thou wilt .hearken unto me,
see what we shall gain. First, we shall , do
battle in a narrow space, a .thing much to our
advantage and to the harrn of our enemies.
And secondly, we .shall yet keep Sala,mis, where
we have put our wives and children, and Megara
also and;^gina. And. at Salamis, saith.the
oracle, we shall prevail, oyer the barbarians." ...

2i6 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

When Themistocles had thus spoken, Adei-
mantus of Corinth reproached him again, bidding
him be silent, because he was a man without a
city (for Athens had been destroyed by the
barbarians). Then Themistocles brake out
against him and the Corinthians with many
bitter words, and saying, " Nay, but we have a
city and a land greater than yours, for we have
two hundred ships well manned, whose attack
no city of the Greeks would be able to with-
stand." Then he turned to Eurybiades, and
said with all earnestness, " If thou wilt abide
here and bear thyself bravely all will be well ;
but if not, then wilt thou bring- Greece to ruin.
For verily we will take our wives and children
and go straightway to Siris in Italy, which is
ours. Verily, when ye have lost our help, ye
will remember what I have said this day."

When Eurybiades heard these words, he
changed his purpose, knowing that if the Athe-
nians should depart, the rest of the fleet should
not be able to withstand the Persians. Where-
fore he made his resolve that he would stay and
give battle at Salamis. Then all the captains"
made ready for battle. After this, at daybreak,

OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS. 217

there was an earthquake, and it seemed good
to the Greeks to make supplications to the
Gods, and to call the sons of ^Eacus to their
help. And this they did, for they put up
prayers, and sent a ship to Salamis to fetch
^acus and his children.

A certain Dicseus, an exile of Athens and a
man of repute among the barbarians, told this
tale of what he saw about this time. He
chanced to be with Demaratus the Spartan in
the plain of Thria, the land of Attica having
been by this time laid waste by the army of
Xerxes, and he saw coming from Eleusis a
great cloud of ■ dust, such as a host of thirty
thousand men might make in their march.
And while the two marvelled who these could
be that could cause such dust, he heard voices
and the sound, as it seemed to him, of the
hymn to Bacchus. Now Demaratus heard the
voices, and asked what they were saying, for
he knew nothing of the mysteries of Eleusis.
Then said Dicseus, " O Demaratus, of a truth
some great trouble will overtake the army of
the King. For seeing that Attica is void of
inhabitants, these that sing are surely gods.

2i8 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

and they come from Eleusis to help the Athe-
nians and their alHes. If therefore this that we
see turn to the Peloponnese, there will be peril
to the King and to his army, but if to Salamis,
then there will be peril to the fleet. For know
that year by year the Athenians keep a feast to
the Mother and Daughter, and the voices which
thou heardest were singing the hymn of the
feast." Then said Demaratus, " See that thou
tell the matter to no man. For if the King
hear it, thou wilt surely perish. Hold thou thy
peace therefore ; the Gods will order as they
please with the army of the King."

By this time the ships of the barbarians were
come to Phalerum, which is a haven of Athens,
And it seemed good to Xerxes to learn the
judgment of them that had command in the
fleet. Wherefore he went on board and sate
on a seat of honour, and all the kings and the
captains sat before him, each in his place, after
the pleasure of the King. The King of Sidon
sat in the first place, and in the second the
King of Tyre. Then Xerxes sent Mardonius,
bidding him ask each in his order what he
counselled, whether they should fight or no.

OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS. :l\c)

To this all made answer in the same words
that they should fight, save Artemisia of Hali-
earnassus only, who spake after this fashion,
" Say to the King, O Mardonius, what I now
say to thee. Seeing that I bare myself not less
bravely than others in the battles at the island of
Euboea, I have the right to speak what I judge
to be most for thy advantage. I say then spare
thy ships and fight not. These men are better
than thine upon the sea, even as men are better
than women. Art thou not master of Athens,
for which thou camest hither ? Doth any man
resist thee ? Or if thou art not yet satisfied,
thou canst easily accomplish all that is in thine
heart to do. These men will not long abide in
their place, and indeed they have, I hear, no
store of food in the island; and if thou goest
forward towards the Peloponnese, they will be
scattered each to his own city, for the men of
the Peloponnese will not care to fight for the
Athenians. But I fear me much that some
great evil will befall thee, if thou art resolved
to join battle with the Greeks by sea. For
remember that good masters have ever evil
servants, and fevil masters good servants ; thou

THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

indeed art the best of men, but thy servants
are evil. For these thy allies, as they are
called, these men of Egypt and of Cyprus and
of Cilicia and of Pamphylia, are of no account."

When Artemisia spake these words all that
wished her well were much troubled, for they
thought that she would surely be cruelly
dealt with by the King, because she counselled
him not to give battle ; but all that were
enemies to her rejoiced, and they that envied
her for the honour which the King had done
to her beyond all the allies, thinking that she
would perish. Nevertheless Xerxes, when the
words of all the kings and the captains were
told to him, was not pleased with any so much
as with the words of Artemisia. Nevertheless
it seemed good to him to follow the counsel
of the greater number, and to give battle ; for
he thought that the ships had not done their
best at Euboea because he himself had been
absent, and was minded to see the battle that
should now be fought with his own eyes.

So the ships of the barbarians sailed to
Salamis and took their places, as they had
been commanded, no man hindering them ;

OF THE GREEKS A T SALAMIS. 221

for the Greeks, especially the men of the
Peloponnese, were greatly troubled, fearing
lest they should be shut up in Salamis while
their own country was left without defence.

The same night the army of the barbarians
went forwards to the Peloponnese. There
indeed all things had been done that the
Persians might not be able to come into the
country. For so soon as there came the tidings
how that Leonidas and his companions had
fallen at the Pass, straightway the inhabitants
assembled from their cities and pitched their
camp at the Isthmus, their commander being
Cleombrotus, who was brother to Leonidas.
First they blocked up the way of Susa, that
leads from Megara to Corinth ; and afterwards
they built a wall across the Isthmus. This
work they wrought in a few days only, for
there were many thousands of men, and they
worked without ceasing either by night or by
day. Now the nations that were gathered at
the Isthmus were these : the Lacedaemonians,
all the Arcadians, the Corinthians, the men of
Elis, the men of Sicyon, and of Epidaurus, and
of PhHus, and of Trcezen, and of Hermlone.

222 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

But the other nations, as the Achaeans and the
Argives, came not to the Isthmus, nor gave
help to the Greeks, but rather, if the truth is
to be told, gave help to the Persians.

CHAPTER XVIII.

OF THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS.

Meanwhile there was much doubt and fear
among the Greeks at Salamis. For a time
indeed the captains talked privately the one
with the other, marvelling at the ill counsel of
Eurybiades that he left the Peloponnese Avith-
out defence ; but at the last their discontent
brake forth, and the assembly was called
together, in which many things were said to
the same purpose as in the former assembly,
some affirming that they ought to sail away to
the Peloponnese that they might defend it, it
being a vain thing, they said, to remain at
Salamis and fight for that which was already
in the power of their enemies, and the men of
Athens and of ^gina and of Megara being
urgent that they should remain and give battle.
Then Themistocles, perceiving that his

224 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

counsel should not prevail against the counsel
of the men of the Peloponnese, went out
secretly from the assembly, and sent straight-
way a messenger in a boat to the camp of the
Persians. (The name of the messenger was
Sicinnus, he was servant to Themistocles and
tutor to his children ; and after the war
Themistocles caused him to become a citizen
of Thespise, for the Thespians were admitting
strangers to citizenship, and gave him great
riches.) This Sicinnus therefore, going in a
boat to the camp of the barbarians, spake to
their captains, saying, " The commander of the
Athenians has sent me, without the knowledge
of the rest of the Greeks, to say that the Greeks
are in great fear and purpose to fly from their
place, and that ye have a great occasion of
destroying them utterly, if only ye will not
suffer them to escape. For indeed they are
not of one mind, nor will they withstand you
any more, but ye will see them fighting the one
against the other, they that are on your side
being opposed to them that are against you.
And this my master does because he is a friend
to the King, and because he would rather that

OF THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS. ,,5

you should prevail than that the Greeks should
have the mastery."

When Sicinnus had thus spoken he departed
straightway. And the Persians, because they
believed what Sicinnus had told them, first
landed many of their men on p'syttaleia, which
is a little island between Salamis and the main-
land ; and next, about midnight, they moved
the westernmost wing of their ships to Salamis,
and those that were posted at Ceos and
Cynosura set sail also, and filled all the strait
even as far as Munychia. This they did that
the Greeks might not be able to escape, but
might be shut up within Salamis, and so pay
the penalty of what they had done at Arte-
misium. As for the landing of the Persians at
Psyttaleia, it was done for this cause, that when
the battle was joined, and the broken ships and
shipwrecked men should be carried down by
the current to the island — which must needs
be the case, seeing that it was in the very way
of the battle that should be fouofht— these
soldiers might be able to save their friends and
slay their enemies. All this the barbarians did
in silence, lest haply the Greeks should hear of

16

226 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

the thing that had been done. So the Persians
made ready for the battle, taking no rest, but
toiling through all the night.

Meanwhile there was much angry talk among
the captains at Salamis, for they knew not yet
that they were shut in by the barbarians. But
while they were assembled there came over
from ^gina a certain Aristides, a man of
Athens, that had been banished by the people
(yet was he the best and most righteous man in
Athens). This Aristides, coming to the council,
would have Themistocles called out to speak'
with him. Now Themistocles was no friend to
Aristides, but an enemy and very bitter against
him ; nevertheless, for the great trouble that
had come upon the land, he took no count of
this enmity, but came and called for him, wish-
ing to speak with him. And when Themistocles
was come forth, Aristides said to him, " We two,
G Themistocles, have contended together afore-
time concerning other things, but now let us
contend who shall do the better service to his
country. What I am now come to say is this :
Let the men of the Peloponnese say little or
say much about sailing hence, it is all one.

OF THE BATTLE OF SAL AM IS.

■2TJ

For I afifirm, of my own knowledge, that the
Corinthians and Eurybiades himself cannot now
depart, if they would, for that the barbarians
have closed us in. But go thou and tell this
thing to the captains." And Themistocles made
.answer, " This is good news thou hast brought,
telling of your own knowledge the things that
I greatly desired should come to pass. What
the barbarians have done was indeed of my
doing, because if the Greeks would not fight of
their free will there was a necessity that they
should be made to fight against their will. But
as thou hast brought good news, tell it to the
captains thyself, for if I tell it they will deem
that I am lying to them. Tell it therefore
thyself, and if they believe thee, well ; but if
not, yet can they not escape, if, as thou sayest,
the Persians have closed us in."

Then Aristides went in. to the assembly and
told them that he was come from ./Egina,
having barely escaped the watch ships of the
barbarians ; and that they were closed in by
the Persians. And he counselled them to make
ready for the battle. Having so spoken he
departed. Then there arose a great disputing.

228 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

the greater part of the captains not beheving
these tidings. But while they doubted there
came a ship of war from Tenos, which a certain
Pansetius commanded. This man told them
the whole truth of the matter. For this cause
the men of Tenos were written on the offering
among them that destroyed the barbarians.
And now the number of the ships of the Greeks
was made up to three hundred and eighty.

The Greeks, learning that the words of the
men of Tenos were true, made themselves
ready for battle. And when it was morning
there was called an assembly of the crews, and
Themistocles spake to them very noble words,
how that men should always choose good rather
than evil, and honourable things rather than
base things. When he had ended his speech
he bade them embark on their ships ; and while
they were embarking there came from .^gina
the ships that brought the children of .^acus.
Then all the Greeks began to move their ships
from their place. But so soon as they began to
move them the Persians advanced against them,
and the Greeks backed their oars, so that they
would have beached the ships, only one Amei-

OF THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS. 229

nias, a man of Athens, bade his men row for-
wards, and coming forth before the Hne, drave
his ship against a ship of the barbarians. Then
others went to the help of Ameinias, and so the
battle was begun. This is what the Athenians
say ; but the men of ^gina affirm that the ship
that went to fetch the children of ^acus first
began the battle. Also this story is told, that
there was seen the likeness of a woman who
cried with a loud voice, so that all the Greeks
could hear her, "How long, ye simple ones, will
ye back your oars ? "

The order of the battle was this. The Phoe-
nicians were on the right wing, towards the
west and towards Eleusis, and the Athenians
were fanged over against them ; and the lonians
were on the left, towards the east and towards
the Pirseus, having the Lacedaemonians* over
against them. Of the lonians a few only fol-
lowed the counsel of Themistocles, and held
back from the fighting ; for many of their cap-
tains took ships of the Greeks, of whom was
Theomestor, that for this service was made
lord of Samos by the Persians, and Phylacus,
who also was of Samos, that had lands given to

230 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

him and was written among the benefactors of
the King. But for the most part the ships of
the Persians were destroyed by the Greeks, and
especially by the Athenians and the men of
iEgina. For the Greeks fought in good ordf
and kept their plans, but the barbarians were
without order, neither had they any purpose in
what they did. Wherefore they must needs
have been worsted in the battle. Nevertheless
they this day surpassed themselves, bearing
themselves more bravely than at Eilboea ; for
every man was very zealous, having the fear of
the King before his eyes, and deeming that the
King saw what he did.

How the rest of the Greeks and of the bar-
barians behaved themselves cannot be described,
but of Artemisia of Halicarnassus this story is
told. * The fleet of the King being now in great
confusion, it so chanced that the ship of Arte-
misia was pursued by an Athenian ship. And
she, not being able to escape, for she was the
nearest of all to the ships of the enemy, and had
many of her own friends in front of her, devised
this means of saving herself, and also accom-
plished it. She drave her ship against the ship

OF THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS. 231

of the lord of Calyndus, being one of the fleet
of the King (whether she had a quarrel against
this man, or the ship chanced to be in her way,
is not known for certain), and had the good for-
tune to sink it. And thus she gained a double
gain. For when the captain of the Athenian
ship saw what she did, judging that her ship
was of the fleet of thsGr eeks, or that it had
deserted 'from the King, he left pursuing her ;
and also, having done this ill service to the
Persians, yet she got the greatest glory from
the King. For Xerxes, as he looked upon the
battle, saw how her ship smote another. And
one said to him, "O King, seest thou how
bravely Queen Artemisia bears herself, sinking
a ship of the enemies ? " Then said the King,
"Was this verily the doing of Artemisia.?"
And they affirmed that it was, knowing the
token of her ship ; but the ship that was sunk
they judged to be one of the Greeks. ■ It so
chanced also, that her good fortune might be
complete, that not a man of the ship of Calyn-
dus was left to tell the truth. As for Xerxes,
he is reported to have said, " My men have be-
come women, and my women have become men."

232 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

In this battle fell Ariabignes, being brother
to the King, and also many other famous men
of the Medes and the Persians. Of the Greeks
indeed there perished not many ; for even
though their ships were destroyed, yet being
able to swim they saved themselves ; but of the
barbarians the greater part perished, fOr they
were not able to swim. And so soon as the
first of the Persian ships began to fly before the
Greeks, then there followed a great destruction.
For they that were behind pressed forward,
seeking to show some deed of valour before the
eyes of the King, and drave against the ships
that fled, and so both did and received great
damage. This thing also happened. Certain of
the Phoenicians, whose ships had perished, came
to the King and made a complaint against the
lonians that they had betrayed them. But
while they were yet speaking, a ship of Samo-
thrace drave against an Athenian ship and
sank it ; then there came a ship of ^glna
against the ship of Samothrace and wounded it
sorely ; notwithstanding while it was sinking
the Samothracians, being throwers of javelins,
smote down the men of ^gina, and boarded

OF THE BATTLE OF SALAMJS. 233

their ship, and took possession of it. This
thing was the salvation of the lonians. For
Xerxes, seeing that these Greeks had wrought
a great deed, and being in great vexation of
spirit, and ready to blame all men, commanded
that they should cut off the heads of the Phoe-
nician captains, that they might not any more
bring accusations against men that were better
than they. All the time of the battle the King
sat on the hill that is over against Salamis, and
when any deed of valour was done by his ships,
he would ask the name of the captain, and the
scribes wrote it down, with the names also of
his father and of his city.

Such of the ships of the barbarians as sought
to escape by way of Phalerum the men of
^gina dealt with, waiting in the strait, and
behaving themselves most valorously. For the
Athenians destroyed such as yet fought and
such as fled, and the men of JEgina fell upon
them that would sail out, so that if any escaped
from the Athenians they fell into the hands of
the men of iEgina.

In this battle the men of iEgina were judged
to have shown most valour, and next to them

234 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

the Athenians ; and among the men of ^gina
Polycritus, and among the Athenians Eumenes
and Ameinias. It was this Ameinias that
pursued Artemisia. And indeed, had he known
whom he pursued, he would not have left fol-
lowing her till he had taken her, or himself
been taken ; for there was proclaimed a reward
of ten thousand drachmas to the man that
should take Artemisia alive, the Athenians
being very wroth that a woman should presume
to bear arms against their city.

Of Adeimantus the Corinthian the Athenians
tell this story, that in the very beginning of the
battle, being wholly mastered with fear, he
hoisted his sails and fled ; and that the other
Corinthian ships, seeing the ship of their com-
mander flying, fled also ; and that when they
were come in their flight over against the
temple of Athene of Sciron, they met there a
pinnace, that came not by any bidding of men ;
and that when it was close to their ships the
men in the pinnace cried out, " Thou indeed
art flying, O Adeimantus, and showing thyself
traitor to the Greeks ; but they are winning the
victory over their enemies." When Adeiman-

OF THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS. 335

tus would not believe, the men said that they
were willing to answer for it with their lives
that their words were true. Then Adeimantus
turned back his ship, and he and his com-
panions came to Salamis when the battle was
now finished. This is the story of the Athe-
nians concerning the Corinthians ; but the
Corinthians deny it, afifirming that they fought
among the first. And in this they are con-
firmed by the testimony of the other Greeks.

On that day Aristides the Athenian did good
service. He took with him many men at
arms, Athenians, that had been drawn up along
the shore of Salamis, and landed them on the
island of Psyttaleia, so that they slew all the
Persians that had been set to keep the

place.

When the battle was ended the Greeks drew
to Salamis such of the broken ships as yet
floated, and prepared to fight yet again, for
they thought that the King would not fail to
use the ships that yet remained to him. But
many of the wrecks the wind— for it chanced to
blow from the west— carried to the shore of
Attica, which is called the shore of Colias.

236 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Thus was fulfilled a certain oracle of Lysis-
tratus the Athenian.

" That Colian dames their bread may bake,
Full many an oar that day shall break."

And this came to pass after the King had
departed.

CHAPTER XIX.

OF THE FLIGHT OF XERXES.

When King Xerxes perceived what damage
his ships had' suffered he resolved that he
would flee without delay to Persia. Yet, to
hide this purpose, he made as if he would carry-
on the war, making a mound across the channel
that is between Salamis and the mainland, and
doing other things. But though he deceived
others he did not deceive Mardonius.

In the meanwhile he sent a messenger to
Susa, whither he had before sent the tidings of
how he was master of Athens, and as before
the people had rejoiced, strewing myrtle boughs
in the streets, and burning incense, and feasting
and making merry, so now they were greatly
troubled, rending their garments, and making
much ado with weeping and wailing. Nor was
it for the damage of the ship that they lamented,
but for fear lest the King himself should suffer

238 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

harm. Nor would they be comforted till he
came back in safety.

Now when Mardonius saw that the Kingf
purposed to flee, fearing lest he should suffer
punishment for that he had advised the marching
against Greece, he made this resolve, that either
he would himself conquer Greece — and this
indeed he hoped to do — or perish honourably.
Wherefore he said to Xerxes, " Trouble not
thyself overmuch, O master, for this loss that
has befallen us ; for these fellows, whom thou
thickest to have conquered us, will not dare to
stand against us. And, if we wish, we may deal
with them without delay, or, if we will, we may
wait awhile. But if, O King, thou art minded
to depart straightway, hear my counsel. Make
not thy Persians a laughing-stock to the Greeks.
For if the Phoenicians and Egyptians and the
like have plaj^ed the coward, yet have not the
Persians so done. Depart then, therefore, if
thou art so minded, but let me choose out three
hundred thousand men of the army, with whom
I may conquer these Greeks."

Xerxes when he heard these words was
very glad, and made answer to Mardonius that

OF THE FLIGHT OF XERXES. ly^

he would deliberate about these things. And
because before Artemisia only had perceived
what should be done, he sent for her, and when
she was, come, sent away his other counsellors,
and enquired of her what he should do, setting
before her the counsel of Mardonius. To this
she made answer in these words : " I counsel
thee to depart straightway, O King. And if
Mardonius promises to conquer Greece for thee,
let him stay behind and do it. For if he succeed,
thine will be the gain ; and if he fail, there will
follow no great damage, so that thou and thy
house be safe. For of a surety, so long as these
remain, the Greeks will often be in peril of their
lives. And if they prevail over this Mardonius,
he is nothing more than thy slave." This
counsel seemed very good to the King, being
altogether to his mind ; and if all the men and
women in the world had counselled him to
remain, hardly would he have done it, so terrified
was he. He commended therefore Artemisia,
and sent her on to Ephesus with certain of his
children in her charge, in which charge was
joined also one Hermotimus of Pedasus. The
people of Pedasus say that when a: mischance

240 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

is about to befall any of their neighbours the
priestess of Athene in their city has a beard,
and that this has happened twice.

The next day Xerxes commanded the ships
to sail with all speed to the Hellespont, that
they might guard the bridges against his coming.
So they departed ; and sailing by Cape Zdster,
where certain rocks jut out from the land, they
took the rocks for ships, and fled far away.
But afterwards, when they knew the truth, they
gathered themselves together again.

For a while the Greeks, seeing the army of
the barbarians in the same place, supposed that
the ships also remained, and made ready for
battle. But when they knew the truth, they
pursued after them ; but having sailed as far
as Andros, and not seeing them, they held a
council of war. Then Themistocles would
have had them make with all speed for the
Hellespont that they might break down the
bridges, but Eurybiades was of the contrary
opinion, saying, " There can no worse thing
befall the Greeks than that we should break
down the bridges. For if the Persians be thus
cut off and driven to remain, see what will

OF THE FLIGHT OF XERXES. 241

follow. If they be quiet they must come to
ruin, for their host will perish of hunger ; but
if they bestir themselves they will conquer all
Europe, city by city, and for food they will
have our harvests. Now indeed, because his
ships have been vanquished, he is minded to
depart ; and this we should suffer him to do.
Only when he has departed, we may, if we will,
strive with him for the mastery of his own
country."

To this counsel the other leaders of the
Peloponnesians consented. And when Themis -
tocles saw that he could not persuade them, he
changed his purpose, and said to the Athenians,
for these were vexed beyond all the rest that
the Persians were suffered to escape, " Often
have I seen with my own eyes or heard
from others that men having been worsted and
driven to despair have recovered their own and
become conquerors in their turn. Now we have
found great good fortune, saving ourselves and
Greece from this mighty host of men. Let us
therefore be content and not pursue them when
they flee. For we have not done this of our
own might. The Gods and the heroes have

17

242 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

done it, having jealousy that one man should
be lord both of Asia and Europe, and he, too,
a destroyer of images and temples, and that
scourged the sea and threw fetters into it. Let
us therefore, now that the barbarians have
departed, return each man to his home and sow
our land, and in the spring will we sail to the
Hellespont ! "

With these words he persuaded the Athe-
nians ; but he did it that he might bind the
King to him by this service, desiring to have
a refuge, if any evil should come upon him at
Athens. Wherefore he sent certain men to
Attica, faithful men that would not betray him
even under torture, and among them the man
Sicinnus. This Sicinnus went to the King
and said, " Themistocles the Athenian, wish-
ing to do thee a service, has sent me to tell
thee that he has restrained the Greeks who
would have broken the bridges of the Helles-
pont, and that thou mayest return at thy
leisure."

After this the Greeks laid siege to Andros.
For Themistocles had demanded money of
this city for the Greeks, saying, " You must

OF THE FLIGHT OF XERXES. 243

needs pay the money, for we come bringing
with us two great gods, even Persuasioh and
Necessity." But the Andrians made answer,
" Well may Athens be great and happy, seeing
that it has such gods ; but we have two that
are unprofitable, yet dwell with us and will
not leave us, even Poverty and Helplessness."
For this cause the Greeks besieged their city.
As for Themistocles, he ceased not to get
riches for himself, without the knowledge of
the others, taking money from the islanders
and others that the fleet should not sail
against them.

Meanwhile Mardonius chose out of the host
such as he would have for his army. All the
Immortals he chose, save Hydarnes, who was
not willing to leave the King, and such of the
Persians as wore corslets, and the thousand
horsemen, and the Medes and the Sacse and
Bactrians and the Indians, both horse and foot.
These nations he took wholly, and out of the
rest of the host he chose such as excelled in
stature or had done some valiant deed. The
number was three hundred thousand in all.
This choosing was done in Thessaly ; and

244 THE STORY OF THE .PERSIAN WAR.

before it was finished there came a herald
from Sparta, seeking satisfaction from the
King for the death of Leonidas and his com-
panions, for the god at Delphi had bidden the
Spartans seek for it. The herald stood before
Xerxes and said, " King of the Medes, the
Spartans and the sons of Hercules ask of
thee satisfaction for blood-guiltiness, because
thou didst slay their King Leonidas when he
defended Greece." The King laughed ; but
after a while he pointed to Mardonius, who
chanced to be present, and said, " This man
will give such satisfaction as is due." And the
herald said, " I accept the satisfaction," and so
departed.

After this Xerxes, leaving Mardonius in
Thessaly, made for the Hellespont with all
haste. In forty and five days he came to it,
having but a small part of his army. These
had laid their hands on all the corn in the
countries through which they passed ; and
where corn was wanting they had devoured
the bark and the leaves of all manner of trees,
leaving nothing at all, so that many died of
sundry diseases, and some were left behind

OF THE FLIGHT OF XERXES. 24;

sick in the cities on the way. When they
came to the Hellespont they found the bridges
broken, and crossed over in ships as they best
could. And many, when they had abundance
of food and drink, using these without measure,
so died.

There is told another tale of the flight of
Xerxes. He left Hydarnes, it is said, to have
charge of the army, and himself embarked on
a Phoenician ship, and so sailed to Asia. But
as he sailed there fell upon the ship a great
wind from the north ; and, being overladen,
it was ready to sink, for there were many Per-
sians with the King upon the deck. Then
Xerxes cried aloud to the helmsman, saying,
"Is there any help?" And the helmsman
answered, " There is no help, except we be
rid of these many passengers." Then said
Xerxes to the Persians, "Let now any that
will show that he cares for his King, for my
life is in your hands." Then the Persians
made obeisance to him and leaped into the sea ;
so the ship being lightened came safe to Asia.
And when Xerxes was come to the shore he
dealt thus with the helmsman. For that he had

246 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

saved the life of the King he gave him a crown
of gold ; but for that he had caused the death
of many Persians, he commanded that he
should be beheaded. But this story is scarcely
to be believed. For why did not the King
rather send down these Persians, being the
first men in the realm, into the lower part of
the ship, and cause the like number of rowers,
being Phoenicians, to leap into the sea ? But
in truth Xerxes returned by way of the land,
whereof we have a proof that he passed through
Abdera, and making a covenant with the people
of that city, gave them a scimitar of gold and
a turban broidered with gold.

And now the Greeks were assembled at the
Isthmus that they might adjudge the prize
of valour to him that of all the Greeks had
shown himself most worthy in the war. The
captains then being met laid their votes on the
altar of Poseidon, a vote for the first place and
a vote for the second. Each man gave the
first place to himself, but the greater part
gave the second to Themistocles. But though
the captains could not agree for jealousy, yet
was Themistocles commonly reported among

OF THE FLIGHT OF XERXES. 2^7

the Greeks to have shown himself by far the
wisest man of all in the war. And when he
went to Sparta the Spartans received him with
great honour. The prize of valour indeed,
which was a crown of olive, they gave to
Eurybiades ; but the prize of wisdom and
, dexterity, also a crown of olive, they gave
to Themistocles. Also they gave him the
fairest chariot that was in all Sparta ; and
when he departed three hundred chosen men
that are called the Knights went with him so
far as the borders of Tegea. Nor has any
man, save Themistocles only, been so sent out
of their country by the Spartans.

When he came back to Athens a certain
citizen of Aphidnse, that came from Belbis,
being his enemy, a man of no repute, reproached
him, saying, "Thou hast these honours from
the Spartans for Athens' sake, not for thine
own." And when the man said this many
times, Themistocles answered him, "Surely
I had not been so honoured had I been of
Belbis, nor thou hadst thou been of Athens."

248 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER XX.

OF THE PREPARING OF THE PERSIANS AND OF
THE GREEKS FOR THE WAR.

Mardonius and his host had their winter
quarters in Thessaly. When he was now
about to leave them, he sent one Mys, a man
of Caria, to enquire of the oracles. This Mys
enquired of the oracles and of Amphiaraiis in
Thebes. (No Theban may enquire of Am-
phiaraiis, for he gave them their choice whether
they would have him for their prophet or their
helper ; and they chose to have him for their
helper.) But when Mardonius read the an-
swer that had been given to Mys, he sent an
envoy to Athens, even Alexander of Macedon,
choosing him because his sister was married
to a Persian, and because he was a friend to
the Athenians.

Of the ancestors of Alexander there is told
this story. Three brothers of the royal house

OF THE PREPARA TIONS FOR THE WAR. 249

of Argos came into the land of Macedonia and
took service with the King, one tending the
horses, and one the cows, and one the smaller
cattle. In those days not the people only but
the kings also were poor, so that the King's
wife was wont to bake the bread. And when
she baked it she saw that the loaf of Perdiccas,
that was the youngest of the brothers, grew to be
twice as large as the other loaves. And as this
happened day after day she told it to her hus-
band. Then the man perceiving that it was a
miracle, and signified no small matter, bade the
three depart out of the country. But when they
would have had their wages, he said to them,
for it chanced that the sun was shining down
the chimney into the house, " Here are your fit
wages. This I give you ;" and he pointed to the
sunshine, for the Gods had taken his wits from
him. The two elder stood astonished and said
nothing, but the youngest, having a knife in his
hand, drew a line with it on the floor round the
sunshine, and made as if he would draw it up
into his bosom three times, and so departed and
his brothers with him. Now when they were
crone, one went and told to the King what the

250 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

youngest had done ; and the King, when he
heard it, was angry, and sent horsemen after them
to slay them. But a certain river swelled so
high when the three brothers of Argos had safely
crossed it, that the horsemen could not follow.
(Their descendants yet do sacrifice to this river
as to their saviour.) The brothers todk up their
abode in a place which they call the Gardens of
Midas. (Here are roses so great as cannot be
found elsewhere, having each sixty leaves, and
over the gardens a mountain so cold that none
can climb to the top.) From this place they
went forth till they had conquered the whole
land of Macedonia. From this Perdiccas came
Alexander the Macedonian in the seventh
generation.

Alexander said, " Men of Athens, Mardonius
bids me say that there has come to him this
message from the King, ' I forgive the Athe-
nians all their trespasses against me. And do
thou this, Mardonius. Give them back their
land, and add to it any other that they will, and
build again the temples that I burned with fire,
if they will make agreement with me. And
they shall live under their own laws.' Mardonius

OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR. I'^i

also says, ' This will I do unless ye on your
part hinder me. And why do ye stand out
against the King ? Do ye not know his might ?
See this great host that I have. If so be that
ye prevail over this, which indeed ye cannot
hope to do, there will come against you a host
many times greater. Why then will ye resist,
losing your country and going always in danger
of your lives ? ' These are the words of Mar-
donius ; and I, Alexander, for that I am your
friend, beseech you to give ear to him, and to
make agreement with the King, who has chosen
you out of all the Greeks to make friendship
and alliance with you."

Now the Spartans knew that Alexander had
been sent by Mardonius to Athens. Whereupon
they also sent ambassadors ; and it was ordered
that they should have audience of the people on
the selfsame day. When therefore Alexander
had spoken, the Spartans stood forth, and urged
them that they should not listen to the words
of Mardonius, nor betray the Greefks. Also they
promised that they would give sustenance to
their women and children so long as the war
should continue. To Alexander t|ie Athenians

252 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

made this answer : " We know how great is the
power of the barbarians, yet will we resist it
to the uttermost, holding fast to our freedom.
Seek not then to persuade us, but say to Mar-
donius, ' So long as the sun shall go by the path
which now he goeth, we make no agreement
with Xerxes, but will stand against hiim, the
Gods and heroes whose temples he has burned
with fire helping us.' And thou, Alexander,
come not again to Athens with such words as
these, for thou art our friend and we would not
willingly do thee hurt."

To the Spartans they said, " It is like enough
that ye should be fearful about this thing.
Nevertheless ye, knowing what manner of men
we are, did us great wrong. Know then there
is no store of gold in all the world, nor land
so fair that would tempt us to make agree-
ment with the Persians. For first we can have
no peace with them that have burned with fire
our temples and the images of our Gods. And
next we cannot betray our brethren the Greeks
that have one tongue with us and worship the
same Gods. Know therefore that so long as
one Athenian shall remain alive we will make no

OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR. 353

agreement with Xerxes. As for your kindness
to us, we thank you ; but we will not be burden-
some to you. Only lead out your army with all
speed. For we doubt not that the barbarians
will invade our land a second time. Therefore
should we meet him in Boeotia, and there join
battle with him."

When Mardonius heard the words of the
Athenians he marched forthwith into Attica, nor
would he hearken to the Thebans when they
counselled him to tarry in Boeotia and seek to
divide the Greeks against themselves.. For
they said, " If the Greeks be at one no power on
earth can subdue them ; but if thou wilt send
gifts to the chief men in each state, thou wilt
easily prevail." But Mardonius greatly desired
to be master of Athens a second time. This
he did, but the Athenians had departed, some
to their ships, but the greater part to Salamis.

After this he sent another messenger with the
same words that Alexander of Macedonia had
brought, for he thought, " Now that they have
lost their country a second time they will surely
listen to him." When the man— he was a
Greek from the Hellespont— was brought into

254 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN IVAR.

the council, a certain councillor, Lycidas, said,
" Let us bring this matter before an assembly of
the people." But when the Athenians, both
the councillors and they that stood without,
heard these words, they were full of wrath, and
rose up against Lycidas, and stoned him with
stones that he died. And the women ran with
one accord to his house and slew his wife and
his children in the same fashion. But the mes-
senger the Athenians sent away without hurt.

Meanwhile the Athenians had sent ambassa-
dors to Sparta, complaining that the Spartans
had not sent an army to defend Attica from the
barbarians. Now the Spartans were keeping
holiday, for it was the feast of Hyacinthus, and
had no thought for anything besides. Also the
wall which they were building across the
Isthmus was now well advanced, so that they
were putting on it the battlements. The am-
bassadors therefore, being brought in before
the Ephors, said, " The King was willing to
make peace with us, and to give us back our
country, and to add to it any other country
that we would. But we would not betray
Greece, though we knew that it should be more

OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR. 255

to our profit to make peace with the Persians
than to continue fighting against them. We
therefore have been true to you, but ye have
been false to us, caring nothing for us now that
ye have come near to finish your wall across
the Isthmus. But come ; now that Bceotia is
lost we shall best fight in the plain of Thria."

To these words the Ephors made no answer,
but put off the matter to the morrow ; and on
the morrow they did likewise, and so for ten
days^

But oh the tenth day there came to the
Ephors a man of Tegea, one Chiletis, that had
more weight with the Spartans than any other
stranger. This Chiletis said, "The matter stands
thus, ye Ephors. If the Athenians be not your
friends but make agreement with the Persians,
then how strong soever shall be your wall across
the Isthmus, there will be many doors open
into the Peloponnese. Hearken therefore to
what these men say while it is time."

This counsel they took, to heart. To the
ambassadors they said nothing, but that same
night they sent five thousand Spartans, and with
each seven helots, their captain being Pausanias,

256 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

the son of Cleombrotus. The next day the am-
bassadors came unto the Ephors, being minded
to depart to their own country, and said, " Ye
Spartans stay at home and keep hoHday and
leave the Greeks to perish. We Athenians
will make agreement with the King, and will go
with him whithersoever he will lead us."

To this the Ephors made answer with an
oath, " The men are gone against the strangers
(for they called the barbarians strangers), and
are now in Oresteum of Arcadia." When the
ambassadors heard this they also departed ; and
at the same time there went five thousand men
of Laconia, chosen men and fully armed.

When the men of Argos knew that the
Spartans had departed they sent a messenger to
Mardonius, the swiftest runner they could find —
for they had promised to keep the Spartans from
coming — saying, " The Spartans have set forth,
neither could we stay them. Take heed there-
fore to thyself." When Mardonius heard this
he would tarry no longer in Attica, but departed
straightway, having first burned with fire and
destroyed all that yet stood, whether house or
temple. For Attica was not fit for horsemen,

OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR. 257

and if he should be worsted in the battle, there
was no escape save by one narrow pass only.
Wherefore he was minded to go back into
Bceotia, for this country was fit for horsemen,
and also was the country of friends. But while
he was on his way there came another messenger
saying that there were a thousand Spartans in
the land of Megara, having come in advance of
the army ; and, thinking that he might cut them
off, he changed his purpose and marched towards
Megara, while the horsemen ravaged the country.
Nor did the Persians make their way towards
the setting sun further than this. And now
there came another messenger saying that the
whole army of the Peloponneslans was at the
Isthmus. Therefore he turned his course, and
came into the territory of the Thebans. And
here he encamped his army along the river
Asopus from Erythrse to Plataea. And though
the Thebans were friends to the Persians, he
cut down all the trees in the country, not from
hatred but from need, because he would have
a rampart and a place of refuge if the battle
should go against him. Such a rampart he
made of ten furlongs every way.

18

2S8 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

While the Persians were building this defence
a certain Theban made a great feast to Mar-
donius and the Persians. Concerning this feast
Thersander, a notable citizen of Orchomenus,
told this story to Herodotus : " I was called to
this feast with other Thebans, fifty in all, and
there were called also fifty Persians. We were
not set apart, but on each couch a Persian and
a Theban ; and when we had dined and were
now drinking, the Persian that was on the same
couch said tome in the Greek tongue, 'Whence
art thou ? ' and I said, ' I am of Orchomenus.'
Then said he, ' Since thou hast eaten with me
from the same table and poured out a libation
from the same cup, I will leave with thee a
memorial of my belief, and this the more that
thou mayest look after thine own life. Thou
seest these Persians that are feasting with us
and this army that we left encamped on the
river. Of all these thou shalt see in a short
time but few remaining.' And when the Per-
sian had so spoken he wept bitterly. And I
said to him, for I marvelled much at his words,
' Shouldst thou not tell this to Mardonius and
to the Persians that are in high place with

OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR. 259

him ? ' But the Persian answered, ' O my
friend, that which the Gods order a man cannot
change, for though he' speak the truth no one
will hearken to him. Many of the Persians
know these things that I have said unto thee,
but are constrained by necessity to follow whither
we are led. But of all the griefs in man's life
none is so sore as this, to know much and to
have power to do nothing.' "

This story did Thersander tell to Herodotus,
as he told it to many others also, even before
the battle pf Platsea.

26o THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

CHAPTER XXI.

OF THE BATTLE OF PLAT^A.

The Spartans pitched their camp at the Isthmus,
whither came the other men of the Peloponnese
also, so many as followed the good cause, not
being willing to be left behind when the Spartans
went forth to the war. And from the Isthmus
they marched to Eleusis. Here the Athenians,
having crossed over from Salamis, came up with
him. When they saw that the barbarians were
encamped on the Asopus, they ranged them-
selves over against them on the slope of Mount
Cithaeron. Here Mardonius sent his cavalry
under Masistius their captain to attack them.
This Masistius was in great repute among the
Persians, and he rode on a horse of Nisa, that
had a bit of gold, and was otherwise richly
adorned. The horsemen charged the Greeks by
squadrons, and did them much damage.

Now it so chanced that the men of Megara had

OF THE BATTLE OF PLATMA.

been set in the place where the cavalry could
most easily approach ; and these, as they received
much damage, sent a message to Pausanias,
saying, "Send over and help us, for without
help we cannot hold our place." Then Pausa-
nias enquired whether any would take the place
of the men of Megara, but none were willing,
save the Athenians only. Of these, three hun-
dred chosen men, having with them the archers,
took the ,place of the men of Megara. And after a
while, the barbarians still charging by squadrons,
it chanced that an arrow struck the horse of
Masistius on the flank, he being by a long way
in front of the others. And the horse reared
by reason of the pain and threw off its rider;
which when the Athenians saw, they ran for-
wards and slew Masistius where he lay. For a
while they could not kill him, for he had a breast-
plate of scales of gold and a tunic of scarlet over
it, and this could not be broken through by any
blows ; which when one of the soldiers perceived
he drave his weapon into the man's eye and so
slew him. When the Persians saw that he was
dead they charged with their whole force, seeking
to get back his dead body, and the Athenians,

262 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

on the other hand, called to their comrades to
help them. So the battle waxed hot ; and while
the three hundred were alone they could not
hold their ground ; but the others coming up,
the Persians turned their backs, and, being now
without a leader, returned to the camp.

Mardonius and the Persians made a great
/lamentation over Masistius, cutting the hair
from their heads, and the manes from their
horses and beasts of burden, and making all
Boeotia resound with their crying, for they had
lost a man whom the army honoured next after
Mardonius himself. But the Greeks put the
dead body in a cart, and caused it to be carried
through the army, and indeed it was worthy to
be looked at, both for beauty and for stature.
The cause why it was thus carried was that the
men would leave their ranks to look at it.

After this it seemed good to the Greeks to
leave their place on the slopes of Cithaeron and
to come down to the territory of the Platseans.
Here they set themselves in array, nation by
nation, nigh to the fountain of Gargaphia and
the precincts of the hero Andocrates, and they
stood partly on certain small hillocks and partly
on the plain.

OF THE BATTLE OF PLATMA. 263

But while the army was being set in array
•there arose a very sharp contention between
the Athenians and the men of Tegea, who
should be set on the left wing. The men
of Tegea affirmed that this place had always
been theirs of right, saying, " When first the
sons of Hercules came back to the Peloponnese
we, with others that then dwelt therein, went
, forth to meet them. Then Hyllus the son
of Hercules said, ' There is no need to put
these two armies in peril. Let the men of the
Peloponnese choose a champion that he may
fight with me.' And an agreement was made,
'If Hyllus slay the champion of the Pelo-
ponnesians, the children of Hercules shall
return to their inheritance ; but if the champion
. of, the Peloponnesians slay Hyllus, then will
the children of Hercules swear an oath that
they will not again seek to return for the space
of a hundred yeirs.' Then Echemus, that was
King of Tegea, offered himself for champion,
and slew Hyllus in battle. For this cause we
have always had our place in one of the wmgs
when the men of the Peloponnese go forth to
iljattle."

264 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

To this the Athenians made answer, "We
are come hither not to make speeches but to
fight against the barbarians. But as the men
of Tegea will have a comparison of deeds we
must of necessity set forth our claims. To the
children of Hercules, whose leader they affirm
themselves to have slain, we alone of all the
Greeks gave shelter ; and when the Thebans
would not give up for burial the bodies of the
Argives that had been slain in the siege of
their city, we took them and buried them at
Eleusis, and we fought against the Amazons,
and in the war of Troy were not one whit
behind any. But why should we speak of
ancient things .'' Surely for what we did at
Marathon, when we, alone of all the Greeks,
fought against the Persians, and conquered
them, putting to flight forty and six nations, we
are worthy to have this honour, yea, and many
other honours also. Nevertheless — for at such
a time it is not fitting to dispute about places —
we are ready to do as ye command, ye men
of Sparta, and take our place wheresoever ye
will, and there quit ourselves like men."

Then all the Spartans cried out with one

OF THE BATTLE OF PLAT ALA. 265

voice that the Athenians were the more worthy
to have the place.

The whole number of the Greeks was of
heavy-armed men thirty-eight thousand and
seven thousand, and of light-armed sixty and
nine thousand.

Mardonius also set his battle in array. Over
against the Spartans he set the Persians ; and
since these far excelled the Spartans in number
he drew them up with their ranks deeper than
common, and also so ordered it that they stood
opposite to the men of Tegea ; only the best
of them he set to deal with the Spartans.
Next to the Persians he set the Medes, and
next to the Medes the Bactrians. These stood
over aeainst the other dwellers in the Pelo-
ponnese. But against the Athenians he set
such of the Greeks and Macedonians as had
joined themselves to him.

Both armies being now ready for battle,
the soothsayers offered sacrifice. The Spar-
tans had with them one Tisamenus, a man
of Elis. To this Tisamenus, enquiring about
his childlessness, there was given an oracle
that he should be the winner in five very great

266 • THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

contests. This he understood of the contests
of the games. But when he had exercised
himself for the fivefold contest at Olympia but
had failed, being vanquished in wrestling by
a man of Andros, the Spartans perceived that
the oracle spake not of contests in sport but
of contests in battle. Then they sought to
hire the man that he might go with them to
battle. But he said, " Give me the citizenship
of your city." This they could not endure,
but when the fear of the Persians hung over
them they sent to him again. And Tisamenus^
perceiving that they were changed, said, " Ye
must give the citizenship not to me only but
to my brother also." To them only have the
Spartans given their citizenship. So Tisa-
menus offered sacrifice, and the signs were for
good luck if the Greeks stayed in their place,
but for bad if they crossed the Asopus.

To Mardonius also were given the same
signs when he sacrificed before the battle. For
he too had a soothsayer, who divined after the
Greek manner, a certain Hegistratus of Elis.
This man had been taken by the Spartans and
condemned to die, but set himself free in a

OF THE BATTLE OF PLATMA. 267

marvellous way. The Spartans had set him
with one foot in the stocks, these being of
wood, but bound with iron. But some one
giving him a tool of iron, he cut off with his
own hand so much of his foot that he could
draw that which was left through the hole.
And after making his way through the woods,
for he was watched by watchmen, he escaped
to Tegea, travelling by night and hiding him-
self in the woods by day. And though the
whole people of the Spartans sought for him
he came safe on the third night to Tegea; for
Tegea was in those days at enmity with Sparta.
And now he served Mardoniusvright willingly,
partly for gain, and partly for ^hatred of the
Spartans.

And for eight days the two armies sat over
against each other doing nothing, save that the
horsemen of the Persians laid hands on a
convoy of five hundred beasts that brought
food from the Peloponnese to the' Greeks.

Again they sat quiet for two days. On the
eleventh day the Persians held a council:
Then Artabazus, a man held in high esteem
amon? the Persians, said, "Let us break up

268 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

our camp, and bring our army to Thebes,
where is a fenced city, and food in plenty for
ourselves and our beasts. And when we are
there, seeing we have gold, coined and un-
coined, in abundance, and silver, and cups, let
us take of these without stinting and send gifts
to the Greeks, especially to them that bear rule
in the cities. Speedily will they give up their
freedom."

But Mardonius, being of a contrary opinion,
was very fierce and obstinate, saying, " We are
much stronger than they. Therefore let us
fight as speedily as may be. As for the signs
of the soothsayer we will not heed them, but
will give battle as the Persians are wont to do."
And the opinion of Mardonius prevailed, for it
was he that was captain of the host.

That night came Alexander of Macedon to
the camp of the Greeks and desired to speak
with the generals. Then ran some of the
guards and said, " Here is come a horseman
from the camp of the Persians, who would
speak with the generals, naming them by
name." And when these had gone to the out-
posts they found Alexander, who said to them,

OF THE BATTLE OF PLATE A. 269

" Men of Athens, tell to no man, save to
Pausanias only, what I shall say to you. For
surely I had not come but that I had a great
love for Greece ; and indeed I am a Greek by
descent, but would fain see this land free
rather than enslaved. Hear, therefore. Mar-
donius cannot get the signs as he would have
them ; else he would have given battle long
since. But now he is minded not to heed the
signs any more but to fight. Be ye not then
taken unawares, but make ready to receive him.
But if he still delay, then abide in your place,
for he cannot long hold out, having but a few
days' provision. And if the end of this war
be as ye would have it, remember me and the
kindness I have done you. I am Alexander
the Macedonian." When he had so spoken
he rode back to his own people.

After this Pausanias said to the Athenians,
" It would be well that you should deal with the
Persians, of whom ye have had experience,
having prevailed over them at Marathon, and
we with the Boeotians and the other Greeks.
For we know nothing of the Persians and
of their manner of fighting, but the Greeks

270 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

we know well. Let us therefore go to our
place in the line, and ye shall come to yours."

The Athenians answered, " We had this very
thing in our minds, and would have spoken
ourselves, but that we doubted whether it would
please you. But now let it be done."

So Pausanias, it being now morning, began
to lead his men to the left wing^ But the
Thebans perceiving it, told it to Mardonius, who
changed his order also, which, when Pausanias
saw, he led the Spartans back and stood as
before. Then Mardonius sent a herald to the
Spartans, saying, " Ye said that ye are braver
than other men, never leaving your place, but
remaining till ye slay your enemies or are your-
selves slain. But this we now see to be false ;
for ye leave your place before ever the battle
is joined. But come now. Will ye fight with
an equal number of Persians, ye for the Greeks
and they for the King ? " When the herald
had waited a while, and no man answered him
a word, he departed.

Then Mardonius, being greatly puffed up by
this victory of words, commanded his horsemen
that they should charge the Greeks, This they

OF THE -BA TTLE OF PLA TJEA . 271

did, doing much damage with the throwing of
javelins and the shooting of arrows, for they
used the bow while they rode, so that the
Greeks could not deal with them hand to hand.
Also they choked the fountain of Gargaphia,
from which all the Greeks drew water. The
Spartans only had their place near to the
fountain, but all the Greeks used it, for the
horsemen and the archers of the barbarians
kept them from the river. Then the captains
held a council ; and it seemed good to them, if
the Persians should not fight that day, to
change the place of their camp to the Island.
This is before the city of Platsea, and men call
it the Island because a certain river, coming
down from Mount CithEeron, divides, here into
two streams which flow for a space three fur-
longs apart, and after join together again. So
all that day they stood in their place, suffering
grievously from the horsemen of the barbarians,
and when it was night they began to change
their place. And when the greater part of the
Greeks had. departed— but they went not to
the Island) but fled ^straight to Pl^t^a,. and
encamped by the temple of Here, which is

272 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

before the city — Pausanias commanded the
Spartans that they also should depart. The
rest of the captains were willing to obey, but
one Amompharetus, that led the men of Pitana,
would not move, saying, " I will not fly from
the strangers, nor bring disgrace upon Sparta."
Pausanias took it very ill that the man should
not obey his command, yet he would not leave
him and his company alone, lest they should be
destroyed. For this cause he kept the Spartans
and their army in its place, and sought to per-
suade Amompharetus. And when the Athenians
saw that the rest of the Greeks had departed,
but that the Spartans remained, knowing that
it was their custom to think one thing and say
another, they sent a horseman to enquire
whether they were minded to go or to remain.
When the horseman came he found them in
the very heat of the dispute, for Amompharetus
took up a very great stone with both his hands
and laid it at the feet of Pausanias, saying,
" With this pebble I vote not to fly from the
strangers " (for the Greeks give their votes with
pebbles), and Pausanias affirmed that he was a
fool and mad. And turning himself to the

OF THE BATTLE OF PLATJEA.

2/3

Athenian horseman, he said, "Ye see how
things are with us ; go and tell this to your
captains." So the men departed ; but the Spar-
tans ceased not to dispute till the day began to
dawn. And then Pausanias gave the signal to
depart, expecting that Amompharetus, when he
found that they had departed, would also leave
his place and follow them. And in this he
judged rightly, for the^_nmnj_thinking^ha£
he had been in truth forsake n, commandedr
his men that they should take their arms and.
follow the rest of the army. This they did, and
came up with them in the space of ten furlongs,
near to the temple ©f Demeter of Eleusis ; for
the army had waited for them there. The
Athenians also left their place, but these marched
all along the plain, while the Spartans kept to
the hill, for fear of the horsemen of the
Persians.

When Mardonius heard that the Greeks had
departed in the night, and beheld their place
that it was empty, he called the sons of Aleuas,
and said to them, " What say ye now, seeing
this place empty ? Ye would have it that the
Spartans fled from no man ; yet ye saw before

19

274 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

how they would have left their station, and now
in this night now past they have fled altogether.
You indeed I can excuse, for ye know nothing
of the Persians ; but I marvel at Artabanus
that he feared these men, and would have had
us follow a coward's counsel, even to break up
our camp, and to suffer ourselves to be besieged
in the city of Thebes. Verily the King shall
hear of this matter. And indeed we must not
suffer them to do as they would, but must
pursue after them till we overtake them, and
exact punishment for all the wrong that they
have done."

When he had thus spol<jen he led the Per-
sians across the Asopus, and followed the Spar-
tans at full speed, as if they were verily flying
from him ; the Athenians he saw not, for they
were hidden from him by the hills. And the
other barbarians, when they saw the Persians
moving, took up their standards and came after
them, as quickly as they could, without any
order, as though they would have swallowed up
tlie Greeks.

When Pausanias saw that the horsemen of
the Persians were pressing him hard, he sent a

OF THE BATTLE OF PLAT^A. 275

messenger to the Athenians, saying, " Now that
the hour is come when we must fight for
^ Greece, whether she shall be enslaved or free,
we and you, men of Athens, are all aloqe, for
our allies have fled. We must therefore help
the one the other as best we may. If these
horsemen had fallen on you, then had we and
the men of Tegea— for they are faithful to
Greece — have helped you ; and now must ye
help us ; and because we know that ye have
been more zealous than any other nation in
this present war, we ask you with the more
confidence."

When the Athenians heard these words they
made ready to go to the help of the Spartans ;
but the Greeks that fought for the King fell
on them and hindered them. The Spartans
therefore being left alone, made ready to fight
against Mardonius and the Persians. But for
a while the signs did not favour them, and
while they tarried many fell, and many more
were Wounded, for the Persians had made a
rampart of wicker shields and shot their arrows
from behind it, troubling the Spartans griev-
ously. But still the signs were evil, till Pau^

276 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

sanias, lifting up his eyes to the temple of
Here of Plataea, cried aloud, " O goddess, dis-
appoint not the hopes of the Greeks." And as
he prayed, the men of Tegea ran forward, and
the Spartans — for at last the signs favoured
them — advanced also. The Persians left shoot-
ing, and came to meet them. First there was
fighting at the rampart of the wicker shields ;
and when this was broken down a very fierce
battle by the temple of Demetef, wherein they
fought against each other hand to hand. Many
a time did the barbarians lay hold of the spears
of the Greeks, seeking to break them ; for in
courage and strength the Persians were not one
whit behind the Greeks, only they had not
armour of defence, and were unused to batde,
nor any match for their enemies in skill ; but
running forward, now one by one, and now in
companies of ten, or, it might be, of more or
less, threw themselves upon the Spartans, and
so perished. Where Mardonius himself fought,
riding on a white horse, having about him the
thousand who were the bravest of all the Per-
sians, the Greeks were hardest pressed. So
long indeed as Mardonius lived his men held

OF THE BATTLE OF PLAT^A., 277

out, and smote down not a few of the Spartans ;
but when he had fallen and his companions
with him, the rest of the Persians fled before
the Greeks, for their equipment, being with-
out armour, was a grievous hindrance to them.
And indeed they were light-armed men, fight-
ing with heavy-armed.

Thus did Mardonius and his host pay due
penalty for the death of Leonidas, and Pau-
sanias won a victory more glorious than any
man had ever won before. As for Mardonius
himself, he was slain by one Aeimnestus, that
perished afterwards, he and three hundred
Spartans with him, fighting against the whole
host of the Messenians.

The Persians, being now put to flight by the
Spartans, fled without any order to their camp,
to the defence of trees which they had made.
As to the precinct of Demeter, though many
fell round about it, none fell within it, or so
rnuch as entered it, the goddess, it is to be
supposed— if it is lawful to suppose anything
about the Gods— herself keeping them from it,
because they had burned her dwelling at Eleusis./

Artabazus having sought to hinder Mardonius

278 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

from giving battle, when he found that he could
not prevail, took counsel for his own safety.
He commanded his men, of whom he had forty-
thousand, to follow at such speed as they should
perceive him to use. Then he made as if he
would have joined the battle, but seeing the
Persians already in flight, he turned round and
made with all speed for the Hellespont.

As for the Greeks that fought for the King,
they all played the coward of set purpose,
saving the Boeotians. These fought very fiercely
with the Athenians, so that three hundred of
them were slain.

Of the rest of the barbarians some stood
against the Greeks, but fled so soon as they
saw the Persians giving way. Nevertheless
the horsemen, both Persian and Theban, did
good service, coming between them that fled
and the Greeks.

As for the rest of the Greeks, none did good
service save the Spartans, and the Athenians,
and the men of Tegea only. For when they
heard that Pausanias prevailed, they hastened
from Plataea with great haste and without order,
which a captain of the Theban horsemen per-

OF THE BATTLE OF PLATMA. 279

ceiving, he charged the men of Megara and of
Phlius, that were marching along the plain, and
slew six hundred of them, and drave the rest
to Mount Cith£eron. So these men perished
without honour.

The men of Mantinea and of Elis came when
the battle was now finished, greatly lamenting
that they were late. These, when they had
returned to their cities, banished their captains.

For none of the Greeks fought in this battle
of Platsea save the Spartans and the Athenians
and the men of Tegea only.

Now the Persians that had fled to the camp
were able to climb into the towers before
the Spartans came up ; and being there, they
held the wall as best they could. And
indeed before the coming of the Athenians
the barbarians kept back the Spartans, who are
but litde skilled in fighting against fortified
places. But after the coming of the Athenians
the wall was attacked yet more fiercely than
before. These after a while prevailed, climbing
to the top of the wall, and making a breach, so'
that the Greeks could enter in. And of all the
Greeks the first to enter were the men of

28o THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Tegea. These spoiled the tent of Mardonius,
taking therefrom the mangers of brass from
which his horses had eaten. And so the barba-
dians held out no longer, but were slaughtered as
sheep, so that of the whole host there were left
three thousand only. But Artabazus had taken
with him forty thousand. Of the Spartans there
perished ninety and one ; of the men of Tegea
sixteen ; of the Athenians fifty and two.

Of the barbarians the bravest were the Per-
sians among the foot soldiers, and the SaciE
among the horsemen ; but of all Mardonius
fought the best. Among the Greeks the
Spartans excelled, and among the Spartans
Aristodemus, that had come back from Ther-
mopylae, and Posidonius and Philocyon and
Amompharetus. But of Aristodemus the Spar-
tans said that he had manifestly sought for
death by reason of his disgrace, and they paid
no honour to him ; but to the others that had
not desired to die they paid honour.

As for CallicrateSr-thatwas th^-goodliesLinan
iot among^_theSpaitan3^nly, but among all the
Greeks, he was slain, but not in the battle.
For while Pausanias was sacrificing, and he sat

OF THE BATTLE OF PLATjEA. 281

in his place in the ranks, an arrow smote him
in the side. Therefore when his comrades went
forward, to the battle, men carried him out of
the battle, being very loath to die, for he said
to a Platsean that stood by, "It does not trouble
me that I die for Greece, but that I die without
putting my hand to the fight, or doing such
worthy deeds as I had desired." /Q^jheAthe-
nians the bravest was Sophanes oT Decelea, of
wfionTthey say that heTiad an" anchor fastened
to his belt by a chain of brass ; and that when
he came near to the enemy, he threw out his
anchor so that he might not be able to be,
driven from his post ; and that when the enemy
fled, he took up his anchor and pursued. ) But.
others say that he had the device of an anchor^
on his shield.

Of P ausanias they telUhjs story, that coming^
into ^tHT^I^JiFof thr Persians, he found the
war-tent of Xerxes, for Xerxes had left it with
Mardonius. And when he saw it with its fur-
niture of gold and silver, and adorned with
hangings of divers colours, he commanded the
bakers and the cooks that they should prepare
a feast as they were wont to do for Mardonius.

282 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

And when he saw the couches of gold and
silver with their dainty coverlets, and tables of
gold and silver, and all the furniture of the
feast very rich, he was astonished ; and for
mirth's sake bade his servants prepare a dinner
in the Spartan fashion. When they had so
done, Pausanias laughed, seeing how great was
the difference between them ; and, sending for
the other captains of the Greeks, he said to
them, " I have brought you here that I may
show you the folly of these Persians, who,
having such fare as this, came to rob us of our
poverty."

CHAPTER XXII.

OF THE BATTLE AT MYCALE.

While these things were being done in the
land of Boeotia, the, fleet of the Greeks lay at
Delos, Leotychides of Sparta being its chief
captain ; but the fleet of the Persians was at
Samos. And there came from Samos three
men whom the people of the land sent to the
captains of the Greeks ; but neither did the
Persians know of their going, nor Theomestor
the lord of the land, for the Persians had made
him lord.

When these men were come into the presence
of the captains, they were very uirgent with
them, saying, " If the lonians do but see you,
they will revolt from the Persians; nor will
these abide your coming ; or, if they abide it,
ye will find such a prey as ye could not find
elsewhere. It is right that ye should help men
that are Greeks and worship the same gods.

284 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

Right is it and easy withal, for the ships of the
Persians are no match for yours. And if ye
doubt whether we came in good faith, take us
with you in your ships as hostages."

Then Leotychides asked the chief speaker of
the three, " Man of Samos, what is thy name ? "
asking either because he sought for a sign or by
chance and by inspiration of God. And the man
said, " Hegesistratus," which is by interpretation
" Leader of armies." Then said Leotychides, " I
accept the sign of this word — leader of armies.
Only you must pledge your word, you and these
others, that the men of Samos will be zealous
and true." Then the three pledged their word
with an oath. And the Greeks sailed to Samos,
taking with them Hegesistratus, for they took his
name for a good sign. Also they had with
them a soothsayer, one Deiphonus, the son of
Evenius of ApoUonia. Of Evenius they tell
this story. The men of Apollonia have a flock
of sheep that are sacred to the sun. And these
feed by day by the river that flows from Mount
Lacmon, and by night they are kept by men
wealthy and noble, chosen from among the
citizens, each man keeping them for a year ; for

OF THE BATTLE OF MYCALE. 285

the men of Apollonia by reason of a certain
oracle make much account of these sheep. They
are folded by night in a cave that is far distant
from the city ; and it chanced that this Evenius,
having the charge of them on a certain night,
fell asleep, and that while he slept wolves
entered into the caves and devoured sixty of
them. Evenius indeed sought to keep the
matter secret, purposing to put another sixty in
the place of these, but it came to the knowledge
of the people ; and they brought him to judg-
ment for his misdeed and condemned him to lose
his eyes. But lo ! after they had blinded him,
the sheep bare no more any young, nor the
land its wonted increase. And when the men
of Apollonia enquired the cause of the oracle of
Dodona, the prophets, answered them, "Ye have
done wickedly, blinding Evenius the keeper of
the sheep. The Gods sent these wolves ; nor
will they cease to avenge the man's cause till
ye shall make him such satisfaction as he shall
himself demand of you. And when ye have
done this, then will the Gods themselves give
him such a gift that all men shall call him
blessed."

286 TliE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

When this oracle came to them, the men of
Apollonia kept the matter close, and sent cer-
tain citizens to make an agreement with Evenius.
This agreement they made in this wise. They
found Evenius sitting on a bench. Then they
sat down by him, and when they had spoken of
other things, came at the last to condole with
him for his mishap. And they asked him, say-
ing, " Evenius, if the men of Apollonia were
minded to give thee satisfaction for this injury,
what wouldst thou demand ? " Now Evenius
had not heard of the oracle, and he said, " If
they will give me such and such lands," and he
named the two citizens that he knew to have
the best lands in the country, "and such a
house," and he named a house that he knew to be
the fairest in the whole city, "I will lay aside my
wrath, holding that I have had due satisfaction."
Then they that sat by him answered, " Evenius,
the men of Apollonia give thee the satisfaction
that thou demandest, according to the words 6f
the oracle." Evenius, indeed, was very wroth
when he heard the whole matter, and knew how
he had been deceived ; but the men of Apollonia
bought the lands and the house from them that

OF THE BATTLE OF MYCALE. : 287

possessed them and gave to Evenius the things
which he had desired. Im,mediately after this
there fell upon him a gift of prophecy, so that he
became famous throughout Greece. Deiphonus,
son of this Evenius, was now soothsayer to the
Greeks. But some say that Deiphonus was
not truly his son, but had taken his name and
plied the trade of a soothsayer for hire.

The Greeks, finding the signs to be good,
sailed to Samos ; but when the Persians knew
of their coming they left their place and sailed
to the mainland, having first sent away the ships
of the Phoenicians, for they judged that they
could not meet the Greeks in battle, and they
desired to have the help of their army that
was on the mainland; for Xerxes had left at
Mycal4 that is over against Samos, sixty thou-
sand men, under Tigranes, a Persian of notable
beauty and stature, to keep guard over Ionia.

So the captains of the Persian ships came to
Mycale, and drew their ships up on the shore
and made a fence round them of stones and
wood> cutting down the fruit trees that were in
the place, and setting stakes in the ground
about the fence.

288 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

When the Greeks ' knew that the barbarians
had fled to the mainland, they were greatly
troubled that the men had escaped out of their
hands, and doubted whether they should go
home or sail to the Hellespont. But in the
end they did neither the one thing nor the
other, but sailed to the mainland, having got
ready boarding bridges and other things needful
for a sea-fight. But when they were come to
the place, there were none to meet them, but
they saw the ships drawn up within the ram-
parts, and a great army set in array along the
shore. First of all Leotychides sailed in his ship
along the shore, keeping as close to the shore
as might be, and crying with a loud voice, " Men
of Ionia that chance to hear me, listen to that
which I now say, for the Persians will under-
stand none of my words. When we join
battle, remember all of you first Freedom, and
then our watchword, and this is Heb6. And if
there are any that chance not to hear me, let
others tell my words to them." Now the pur-
pose of these words was the same as of the
words which Themistocles wrote upon the rocks
at Artemisium. If they came not to the know-

OF THE BA TTLE OF MYCALE. 289

ledge of the Persians, then they might per-
suade the lonians ; but if they came to their
knowledge they would cause the Persians
to put no trust in their allies. When Leoty-
chides had ended speaking these words, the
allies brought their ships to the land and dis-
embarked,' and set themselves in array for the
battle.

But the Persians, when they saw how the
Greeks set themselves in array, considered the
words which had been spoken to the lonians.
And first of all they took away from the men
of Samos their arms, suspecting that they
favoured the Greeks. This they did because
the men of Samos had paid the ransom of five
hundred Athenians whom the armies of the
King had found lingering in the land of Attica,
and had carried away captive into Asia. Next
after this they sent the men of Miletus, to keep
the ways that led to the heights of Mycal6, for
they knew the country. This they said, but in
truth they desired to keep them outside the
camp. Thus did the Persians seek to guard
themselves against the lonians, if these were
minded to help the Greeks; and after this

290 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

they made a rampart of wicker shields to be a
defence against the enemy. '?

And now the Greeks, all things being read}',
began to go forward against the barbarians.
And lo ! as they went there ran a rumour
through the whole army, and at the same time
they saw a herald's staff lying on the sea-shore.
And the rumour was this, that the Greeks were
doing battle in the land of Bceotia with the
army of Mardonius, and were prevailing over
it. And this is one of the many proofs that the
'Gods have a thought for the affairs of men ; for
how else, when it had chanced that this battle
at Mycal^ and the ruin that fell on the Persians
at Plataea should fall out on the selfsame day,
came this rumour to the Greeks making them
to be of a good courage and willing to put
their lives in jeopardy ? At Plat^a the battle
was in the morning, and at Mycale it was
towards evening. And before the rumour came
they had been fearful, not so much for them-
selves as for the Greeks, lest they should flee
before Mardonius. But now their fear ceased,
and they ran forward both quicker and with
better courage. And indeed both the barba-

OF THE BATTLE OF MYCALE. 291

rians and the Greeks had much eagerness for
the battle, whereof the prize was the Hellespont
and the islands.

Now the Athenians and they that were with
them, being altogether one-half of the army,
marched along the shore where the way was
level, but the Lacedsemonians with the rest of
the army marched over hills and the channel' of
a stream. And thus it came to pass that while
these were making their compass the Athe-
nians had now joined battle. So long as the
wicker rampart was standing the Persians held
their own, and were not worsted in the fight;
but when the , Athenians and their fellows,
desiring to have the victory for themselves, en-
couraged each other and attacked the Persians
more fiercely, things went otherwise. For the
Greeks burst through the rampart and fell in
one body upon the Persians. These indeed
awaited their coming, and held out for a time,
but at last fled into the fort. And the Athe-
nians, with the men of Corinth and of Sicyon
and of Troezen— for these had been set next to
the Athenians— entered into the fort along with
them. And now when their fort was taken, the

292 THE STORY OF THE PERSIAN WAR.

barbarians made no more resistance, but fled
all of them, save the Persians only. But while
these still held out against the Greeks, a few
fighting together, there came up the Lacedse-
monians and the others, and slew them all.
Not a few of the Greeks fell in this battle,
especially among the men of Sicyon.

The men of Samos, from whom the Persians
had taken their arms, did good service to the
Greeks while they were fighting. As for the
men of Miletus, they did not what had been
commanded them, but led the Persians astray,
so that they went into the hands of the enemy,
and at last fell upon them with their own hands.
Thus did Ionia revolt that day a second time
from. the King.

THE END.

ONWIN nmjTllllKS, THK f.KESHAM PKESS, CHIIAVOKTH AND LONDON.